The US Army has announced five winning companies in the xTechHumanoid competition, which assessed how cutting-edge commercial humanoid robot technologies could be used in future military operations. This was reported by the US Department of War.
The competition was organised by the Humanoid Community of Collaboration (HCoC) together with the Army FUZE xTech programme, which focuses on developing dual-use technologies.
A total of 103 technical concepts were submitted — ranging from basic humanoid robot designs to individual subsystem developments. Ten companies advanced to the final, and nine of them presented their technologies on 9–10 September at the US Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia.
Following the demonstrations, the winners were:
- ACES Group, which developed an integrated power system for humanoid robots with scalable energy-storage technologies. It can be used for a range of tasks — from supporting large operational infrastructure to powering individual robots.
- IHMC Robotics, which presented the humanoid robot Alex with actuators resistant to shock loads, ballistic protection, and hybrid autonomy combining artificial intelligence with human control.
- Hydroplane Limited, which developed a lightweight, compact mobile power-generation system to provide sustained electricity in logistics environments under threat from enemy action.
- Ras Labs, with highly sensitive tactile sensors for fingertips that enable robotic systems to determine applied force, an object’s shape, slippage, and other types of physical interaction.
- Velocity Explorations, which developed software that turns verified information and a commander’s intent into discrete actions for humanoid robotic systems.
“Humanoid robots are part of the broader development of autonomous systems aimed at increasing the number and diversity of robotic platforms, and the components industry can supply them for a wide range of missions. xTech is our method for assessing the technology landscape and accelerating promising developments instead of years-long research,” said the US Army’s Chief Technology Officer, Alex Miller.
For participants, the competition provided an opportunity to test their developments in real field conditions and better understand the military’s needs, the Department of War said. Hydroplane Limited founder and CEO Anita Sengupta added that taking part in such contests helps companies improve and build connections with a network of military and industry representatives.
As a result of xTechHumanoid, the US Army gained a clearer picture both of the commercial industry’s progress in humanoid robotics and of the technical challenges that remain. HCoC is already using these findings in its ongoing work — including efforts to address power-supply issues that affect the deployment of humanoid and other robotic systems.
As a reminder, in October 2026 at the Camp Grayling training area in Michigan, USA, a new stage of the US Drone Dominance programme — Phase 2.5 Bomber Qualifier — will take place. During the trials, the Pentagon will test bomber drones being considered for equipping US forces.