Bernt Børnich

A new technical critique from Origami Robotics argues that high-ratio gearboxes are the "foundational" bottleneck for robotic dexterity, prompting a rare hardware reveal from 1X CEO Bernt Børnich.

1X Technologies has transitioned its World Model from a simulation tool into a generative "cognitive core," allowing the NEO humanoid to perform novel tasks like steaming shirts or operating toilet seats by visualizing them first.

The 1X NEO launch sparked debate over its use of teleoperation. But for 1X, this 'Expert Mode' isn't a bug—it's the core of a long-held strategy built on a foundation of passive safety and data diversity.

In a wide-ranging interview, 1X CEO Bernt Børnich discusses the decade of foundational work behind the NEO humanoid, the surprising social dynamics of robot interaction, and the unglamorous-but-critical challenges—like Wi-Fi—of deploying robots in the real world.

Robotics firm 1X teases a major update this week with a cryptic forest video featuring its NEO humanoids. Meanwhile, Foundation Robotics CEO Sankaet Pathak announced their first AI training cluster, "skynet junior," is live, with plans for a larger "skynet" cluster.