ManufacturerIHMC Robotics / Robotics Lab of the Florida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition (IHMC)Robot model · No. 1Alex / Alexander
Humanoid Robots · Security & Surveillance
Key factApproximately 85 kg kg · Custom quasi-direct-drive electric actuators
Model specifications
WeightApproximately 85 kg kg
Actuator typeCustom quasi-direct-drive electric actuators
Autonomous/semi-autonomous behavior researchYes
AvailabilityResearch platform; not commercially available
BackdriveabilityHigh / explicitly designed to be backdriveable
ColorBlack / dark grey in current official imagery
Commercial availabilityNo
Compute architectureFully onboard computation
Current statusActive R&D / field-validation humanoid
Degrees of freedom, overall29 DOF / joints
DOF / joints29
Door traversalYes, through IHMC behavior architecture
Gear techCustom low-/moderate-ratio cycloidal transmissions
Locomotion typeBipedal
Main marketResearch; Defense; Disaster Response; Hazardous Environments; Human-Machine Teaming
ManufacturerFlorida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition (IHMC Robotics), with hardware contributions from collaborators including Morfey and H4 Inc. on the current Alex actuator/electronics system
Motor techCustom electric quasi-direct-drive actuators
NationalityAmerican
Obstacle clearingYes, research behavior library
Outdoor operation demonstratedYes, 2026
Perception architectureFully onboard perception
Power architectureFully onboard battery power
Research fundingOffice of Naval Research, Army Research Laboratory, Army Data Analysis Center
Robot typeFull-size electric humanoid
Safe with humansDesigned for human-machine teaming and backdriveable interaction
Torque sensing approachMorfey states the transmission is designed to enable open-loop torque control without dedicated torque sensors in the actuator design.
Transmission efficiencyApproximately 96%, actuator designer report
Transmission typeCustom cycloidal transmission
Uneven outdoor terrain demonstratedYes
Untethered operationYes
Websitehttps://robots.ihmc.us/humanoid-design
Whole-body controlYes
About the Alex / Alexander
Fully untethered 29-DOF electric humanoid research robot with custom quasi-direct-drive actuators, onboard power/computation/perception, and a focus on outdoor mobility and hazardous-environment human-machine teaming.
Typical applications: Security & Surveillance, Emergency Response & Rescue.
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