1X's product head says its new humanoid hand has solved one of the toughest problems in robotics

1X's new robotic hand.

1X

The race to build useful humanoids is coming down to the hands.1X, which builds the home humanoid NEO, unveiled a new robotic hand last week that it says matches or exceeds human performance. The company said the hand can pour tea, sort grapes by color, plug in a USB-C charger, and communicate in sign language.Humanoid companies have been gunning to solve what Elon Musk has called the "hands problem," the challenge of building a mechanical equivalent of the human hand by replacing skin and muscle with sensors, motors, and software. It's a big challenge because human hands are exceptionally complex, combining strength, agility, and flexibility. Seemingly simple tasks like zipping a jacket or washing dishes demand intricate movements that robots have long struggled to master.When Business Insider asked Dar Sleeper, 1X's head of product, if the company has finally solved the problem, he said, "The short answer is yes.""This is by far the closest hand to human-level dexterity," Sleeper added.

1X's new robotic hand.

1X