Welcome, 4NE1 Gen 4!

4NE1 Gen 4 is a humanoid robot developed by NEURA Robotics in Metzingen, Germany, for physical work alongside people. Standing 180 cm tall and weighing 65 kg, it combines a full size body with articulated hands and locally running artificial intelligence. Its published specifications include 55 overall degrees of freedom, 24 hand degrees of freedom, a maximum speed of 5 km/h and a strength rating of 20 kg. The fourth generation introduces a body described as 20% lighter, textile skin, more precise hands and limb reflexes. Its overall skill score of 5 out of 10 places it in the developing category, with a clear difference between its manipulation rating of 4 out of 5 and navigation rating of 1 out of 5. Supported capabilities include obstacle avoidance, sorting goods, assembling products, filling and emptying a dishwasher, and folding clothes. This combination emphasizes manipulation across industrial and household tasks, while the lower navigation rating keeps its mobility assessment in perspective.

The robot’s manipulation capabilities span sorting goods and assembling products, as well as filling and emptying a dishwasher and folding clothes. These tasks involve different demands, from organizing separate objects to handling flexible fabric and positioning items during assembly. Five fingers per hand provide the physical interface for this work, supported by more precise hands in the fourth generation. NEURON AI runs onboard and combines 3D vision, touch, force, sound, language and memory within a Perception Language Action model. Sensor skin, force and contact sensing, and limb reflexes support interaction with surrounding objects and people. For navigation, obstacle avoidance is the supported capability, complemented by 360° perception. The stronger manipulation rating makes object handling the central emphasis of its current capability profile.

NEURA Robotics develops, builds and trains 4NE1 Gen 4 entirely in Germany. The robot is listed as in production, with a displayed price of USD 70,000, while its description also notes preparation for series production. Its broader significance lies in combining industrial and household manipulation within one humanoid platform rather than presenting separate machines for each setting. Sorting goods and assembling products connect it to production and logistics environments, while dishwasher handling and clothes folding connect it to domestic assistance. Its design also emphasizes working alongside people through sensing and contact awareness. With a developing overall score and a stronger manipulation rating than navigation rating, 4NE1 Gen 4 represents progress toward broader practical use, not uniformly mature performance across every aspect of humanoid robotics.