U.S. Army evaluates humanoid robots for military operations

The U.S. Army has concluded the xTechHumanoid competition, an initiative designed to evaluate how industrial humanoid robot technologies might integrate into future military operations. Out of 103 initial proposals, ten companies reached the final stage, with nine demonstrating their capabilities to military officials and technical experts in Quantico.

The Army selected five winners, including Alex, a humanoid robot developed by the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC). Alex stands 1.79 meters tall, weighs 85 kg, and can move at speeds exceeding 1.5 m/s. The robot features 29 joints, integrated perception and computing, and can operate for over two hours on battery power while continuously carrying more than 15 kg.

While Alex has not been cleared for active service, it is currently entering a phase of evaluation and experimentation. Key features identified by the Army for potential military utility include ballistic protection and a hybrid autonomy system that combines artificial intelligence with other capabilities.