What Is 1X Technologies

Overview

1X Technologies is a Norwegian robotics company focused on developing humanoid robots for practical, real-world applications. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Oslo, the company aims to bridge the gap between advanced AI and physical robotics to create machines capable of assisting in homes and workplaces.

With significant investment from global tech leaders, including early support from OpenAI co-founder Elon Musk, 1X has rapidly advanced its robotic platforms. The company emphasizes safety, efficiency, and human-centric design in its products, targeting labor shortages in caregiving and domestic services.

• EVE robot: Launched in 2023, this 160 cm-tall humanoid is designed for household tasks like cleaning, fetching items, and monitoring elderly residents with a top speed of 3 mph.
• Funding milestones: Raised $85 million in a Series B round in 2022 led by Tiger Global and Founders Fund, bringing total funding to over $100 million.
• Acquisition strategy: Acquired Open Robotics in 2021, gaining access to advanced locomotion software and engineering talent to accelerate product development.
• Manufacturing base: Moved initial production to Iceland in 2022 to leverage renewable energy and reduce carbon footprint during assembly.
• AI integration: Partners with leading AI labs to integrate large language models, enabling EVE to understand and respond to complex voice commands in real time.

How It Works

1X Technologies combines advanced robotics hardware with AI-driven software to create autonomous, mobile humanoid systems capable of navigating human environments. Each robot integrates sensors, actuators, and machine learning models to perform dexterous tasks safely and efficiently.

• Locomotion: Uses a combination of 18 torque-controlled joints and dynamic balance algorithms to walk smoothly on flat and uneven surfaces at speeds up to 3 mph.
• Power system: Equipped with a 48-volt lithium-ion battery providing up to 8 hours of continuous operation on a single charge.
• Perception suite: Features stereo cameras, depth sensors, and LiDAR to map environments in 3D and detect obstacles or people within a 5-meter range.
• Manipulation: Hands have 12 degrees of freedom, allowing EVE to grasp objects as small as a pen or as large as a water bottle with adaptive grip strength.
• AI processing: Runs on an onboard NVIDIA Jetson module, enabling real-time decision-making and natural language understanding powered by transformer-based models.
• Remote assistance: Includes a teleoperation mode where human operators can take control via secure cloud connection if the robot encounters an unfamiliar task.

Comparison at a Glance

Below is a comparison of 1X's EVE robot with competing humanoid platforms based on key technical and operational metrics.

The table highlights 1X EVE’s focus on home and care environments, trading raw speed and size for safety and adaptability. While competitors target industrial settings, 1X prioritizes quiet operation, non-threatening design, and interaction safety for vulnerable users like seniors.

Why It Matters

As global populations age and labor shortages grow, humanoid robots like those from 1X Technologies offer scalable solutions for caregiving and household support. The company’s progress signals a shift from experimental robotics to deployable, commercially viable machines.

• Elder care support: Can assist seniors with mobility challenges by fetching medication, detecting falls, and providing emergency alerts via integrated sensors.
• Labor market impact: Addresses workforce gaps in countries like Japan and Germany, where over 30% of caregivers are expected to retire by 2030.
• Home automation evolution: Extends beyond smart speakers by adding physical agency—robots can now act on voice commands in the real world.
• Safety-first design: Built with soft-tissue robotics and force-limiting joints to minimize injury risk during human interaction.
• Energy efficiency: Uses 70% less power than comparable models, thanks to lightweight materials and optimized motor control.
• AI democratization: Makes advanced AI tangible by combining language models with physical embodiment, helping users interact naturally with technology.

With commercial deployment trials underway in Scandinavia and North America, 1X Technologies is positioning itself as a leader in socially intelligent robotics, aiming to make humanoid assistants a common presence in homes within the next decade.