Robotics Competition Winners Advance Military Exploration of Humanoid Capabilities > U.S. Department of War > Defense Department News | U.S. Department of War

'Alex' the Robot

"Alex" is a humanoid robot featuring impact-resilient actuators, ballistic protection and hybrid autonomy combining artificial intelligence and human control for complex and dangerous missions. Alex was developed by IHMC Robotics, one of five companies selected as winners of the Army's xTechHumanoid competition to assess how emerging commercial humanoid technologies could contribute to future military operations at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Sept. 11, 2026.

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Credit: Connor Taggart, U.S. Army Pathway for Innovation and Technology

VIRIN: 260909-M-WB553-1040

A black humanoid robot stands in a wooded area. A black humanoid robot stands in a wooded area. "Humanoid robots are part of a broader autonomy push to increase the depth and breadth of robotic platforms, and [the] components industry can provide for a range of missions," said Alex Miller, the Army's chief technology officer. "We are identifying the problems, mission needs and opportunities to enable our formations with the right mix of tools. xTech is our method of surveying the industry landscape and fast-tracking promising technology rather than falling victim to yearslong studies." With the competition complete, xTechHumanoid provides the Army and joint force a clearer picture of both the progress commercial industry has made in humanoid robotics and the technical challenges that remain, helping inform where continued development and experimentation can deliver the greatest value to the warfighter. The Humanoid Community of Collaboration is already building on those insights through its next lines of effort, including work to address power and energy constraints that could shape the operational employment of humanoid and other robotic systems.