Robot Buyer/Intel Terminal

Track which humanoid robots are actually getting closer to homes.

A crisp weekly briefing and source-backed terminal for separating deployable robots from polished demos.

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Closest to Home 1X NEO

Preorders and 2026 delivery targets make it the clearest consumer-facing bet, with teleop still central.

Factory Momentum Figure 03

BMW pilots and BotQ capacity point to industrial learning before broad household availability.

Scale Option Optimus

Tesla has manufacturing leverage, but public pricing and consumer timing remain unverified.

Signal Quality Sources First

Primary claims, reporting, and demos are ranked separately so hype does not flatten into fact.

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Claim Confidence

Every meaningful robot claim should answer the same question: who said it, when was it verified, and did anything materially change?

Primary-source badges

Company pages, filings, official demos, and direct product pages outrank reposts and summaries.

Last verified

Specs, prices, delivery windows, and readiness notes should show freshness instead of pretending old claims are current.

Changed-field history

When pricing, availability, or claimed capabilities move, the changed fields become the story.

Demo vs deployment

Videos, pilots, preorders, and paid deployments are labeled as different levels of evidence.

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The Big 3

1X
Preorders Open

Preorders open for NEO household assistant. Blends remote operation with autonomous features. Deliveries begin 2026.
Figure
In-Home 2025

Figure 03 aims for household tasks. In-home alpha testing starting 2025—no public sales yet.
Tesla
Target 2026

Optimus deploying in Tesla factories first. Consumer availability and pricing not yet announced.
Focus Areas

Current Deployment Status

Where each company is focusing their humanoid robot development efforts right now.

1X · Active Deployment 1X NEO humanoid robot
NEO

Security patrols and concierge services with human teleoperators. Limited preorder slots available for 2026 delivery.

Teleop Concierge
Figure · Manufacturing Pilot Figure humanoid robot
Figure 03

Partnering with BMW for factory floor tasks. Vision-language AI for object recognition and manipulation. Home trials coming 2025.

BMW Vision
Tesla · Internal Testing Tesla Optimus humanoid robot
Optimus

Testing Gen 3 in Tesla factories. Aiming for mass production at under $25K price point. Consumer timeline TBD.

Factory Mass Production
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Latest News

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Timeline

Full Timeline →
2014-2025 Updated Weekly

Three companies, one race to the living room. We remix the longform timeline into swipeable tracks you can skim in seconds.

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Security roots
1X

Teleop + autonomy blend aimed at concierge-style deployments.

2014
Halodi forms

Oslo team starts on safe actuators and whole-body control.

2020
ADT guard rails

140-robot Everon contract proves remote security works.

2023
Rebrand + OpenAI

Halodi becomes 1X and raises $23.5M (OpenAI-led).

Jan 2024
$100M Series B

Funds the home-focused NEO roadmap.

Oct 2025
NEO preorders

$20K early access or $499/mo subscription, 2026 delivery.

Factory sprint
Figure

From warehouse pilots to a home-ready Helix control stack.

2022
Company launch

Figure 01 prototype targets logistics work.

Jan 2024
BMW partnership

Spartanburg plant agrees to pilot humanoids.

Feb 2024
$675M raise

OpenAI + Microsoft + NVIDIA back the Series B.

Feb 2025
Helix debuts

Vision-Language-Action stack handles full-body control.

Mar 2025
BotQ factory

First-gen line targets up to 12k robots/year.

Scale muscle
Tesla

Optimus soaks up Tesla’s manufacturing + AI stack first.

Aug 2021
AI Day reveal

"Tesla Bot" concept promises factory support roles.

Sept 2022
Bumble C walks

First working prototypes demo live.

Dec 2023
Gen 2 video

30% faster, lighter, with 11-DoF tactile hands.

Apr 2024
Factory-first

Musk: internal deployment before any consumer sale.

Nov 2025
R&D line

Shareholder footage shows dedicated assembly bay.

Closest to homes

1X NEO

Preorders live with 2026 customer deliveries on the roadmap.

Factory capacity

Figure BotQ

Purpose-built line aims for 12k humanoids a year once ramped.

Brand leverage

Tesla Optimus

Gigafactory deployments happen first while public pricing stays aspirational.

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Explainers

View Explainer Hub →

Teleoperation vs Autonomy

Break down who is actually driving the robot and how often vision-language models step in.

Household Safety Protocols

The standards emerging for fall detection, torque limits, and certification.

Demo vs Deployment

Spot the difference between a polished video and capabilities customers can expect.
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Comparison

Company Model Specs Hands Availability Price
1X NEO

~5'6" frame, 842 Wh battery pack, and a consumer/home deployment focus.

Product page lists "Hands: 22x2" highlighting dual high-DoF arm stacks.

Articulated hands with 22x2 DoF according to 1X.

Pre-orders open (U.S.); deliveries targeted for 2026.

$20,000 upfront or $499/mo subscription (reported).
Figure AI Figure 03

Wireless inductive charging through its feet (2 kW) feeding a ~2.3 kWh pack.

Coverage notes ~5 hours of runtime; tuned for in-home chores.

Ultra-sensitive tactile palms/fingertips plus wider-FOV vision (Gen 3 upgrade).

Not publicly for sale; production slated for the BotQ line (up to 12k/yr).

TBD — no public pricing yet.
Tesla Optimus (Gen 2)

Gen 2 is ~30% faster, lighter, and shows steadier balance (egg-handling demo).

11-DoF hands with tactile sensors on every finger.

Not for sale; internal factory use first. Musk floated sales "by end of next year" (unconfirmed).

Target: $20K-$30K at scale (Musk guidance, unconfirmed).
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