The U.S. Army has named five winners in its xTechHumanoid competition, an effort designed to assess how humanoid robots might contribute to future military operations. The winners announced Sept. 29 were ACES Group, IHMC Robotics, Hydroplane Limited, Ras Labs and Velocity Explorations.

Army Chief Technology Officer Alex Miller said the service used the program to identify “the problems, mission needs, and opportunities” best suited for humanoid robots. The competition examined where the emerging machines could fit within a broader military push toward autonomous systems.

“xTech is our method of surveying the industry landscape and fast-tracking promising technology rather than falling victim to years-long studies,” Miller said. He described humanoid robots as part of an autonomy effort intended to expand the robotic platforms and components available for different missions.

Army officials initially examined white paper proposals submitted by companies developing humanoid robots and related technology. The concepts were judged on military utility, technical merit and technological maturity.

The Army received 103 submissions and selected 10 finalists, with each receiving $25,000. Five winners were then chosen through a live experimentation event that put the proposed systems and components through practical demonstrations.

According to the 2025 competition announcement, the robots faced collective tasks “in the context of a military small unit mission conducted in a combat situation.” Officials also examined baseline system capabilities and more advanced subsystems during the event.

Baseline examples included checkpoint security, crossing gaps, clearing obstacles and fighting fires. Advanced subsystem testing covered technologies such as thermal sensors, battery life and autonomy, giving officials a broader look at both complete platforms and specialized components.

Robert Griffin, a senior researcher at IHMC Robotics, told Military Times that individual competition requirements surpassed what existing technology could deliver. “The individual things that were outlined were, in any one element, beyond what is possible given the current state of the art,” Griffin said.

“For example, you don’t have a robot that can run 28 miles an hour while carrying 50 pounds and operating for 24 hours,” Griffin said. “It’s not a thing that exists in the world.”

Because the Army’s complete list of desired capabilities exceeded current technological limits, developers had to decide which elements to emphasize. Griffin’s team concentrated on baseline functions, including movement, independent operation and responses to commands.

“The big thing for us was to have the robot show up at the competition, move around in the world, unsupported, at a reasonable pace, and then respond to commands,” Griffin said. IHMC entered a robot named Alex for the demonstrations.

Competition video shows Alex responding to voice commands while walking through a field. A human using a remote then directed the robot through woods and across gravel before Alex grasped a small shovel and attempted to pour dirt into a bucket.

Alex did not successfully pour the dirt, but the robot demonstrated the required movement. The demonstration ended with Alex collapsing and being transported from the area on a gurney, a rather blunt display of how much work remains.

Hydroplane and ACES Group competed with battery technology. Velocity Explorations entered software allowing a robot to hear radio traffic between people, understand their movements and tasks, develop a picture of the broader battlespace and determine how to act.

Ras Labs tested sensitive fingertip tactile sensors that enabled a robot to handle delicate objects. Multiple companies said the competition offered an opportunity to test their products under Army scrutiny.

Hydroplane founder and chief executive Dr. Anita Sengupta said her company traditionally worked on large structures and aircraft before moving into smaller portable systems. For the competition, Hydroplane adapted a 10 kilowatt system originally designed for the Marine Corps in 2024.

The company reduced the system’s size because a humanoid robot required only a few kilowatts. Its fuel cell resembles one used by a generator but runs on hydrogen instead of diesel, providing about three times the energy density and higher conversion efficiency, according to Sengupta.

Hydroplane did not directly power a humanoid robot during the competition. The Army instead tested whether the fuel cell could support one, while Hydroplane helped establish standards with the intention of eventually collaborating with a humanoid robot team.

The Army said the competition provided a clear picture of commercial progress and the technical challenges still facing humanoid robotics. The findings are intended to guide research toward technologies offering the greatest return for warfighters.

Griffin cautioned that the industry remains far from machines like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800 in The Terminator franchise. He also rejected the idea of robots making life or death decisions, citing how easily current AI models can be confused or manipulated.

Griffin said investor priorities will partly shape the technology’s future, while industrial companies may pursue automation of tasks normally performed by people. IHMC’s goal, he said, is removing people from harmful work, including entering burning buildings and conducting nuclear cleanup.