Agility Robotics’ next-gen ‘Digits’ robot has head, hands, LED eyes
With a sleek head, dexterous hands, and eyes that can see, the cutting-edge ‘Digits’ robot can replicate human efficiency to perform warehouse tasks.
Agility Robotics is set to launch an updated version of its bipedal ‘Digits’ warehouse robot. The company strives to provide the robot with abilities that could take over injury-risking or repetitive tasks, the new version includes a head with LED animated eyes attached, along with hands, and it can perform a wider variety of burdensome workloads better than its predecessor.
The new version of the ‘Digits’ robot can “carry more, reach higher, charge faster, last longer and convey intent” better than the earlier model. Additionally, the robot can more effectively manipulate its surroundings, its perception is keener, and it better interacts with humans.
The machine weighs around 140 lbs, has a height of 5 ‘9, and includes newly designed “end effectors” (hands), which help the robot reach low or high spaces and place or pick up objects lying around in shipping warehouses.
“Warehouse work includes many process-automated, repetitive tasks that all too often lead to injury and high turnover, leaving costly gaps in the workforce that snarl supply chains,” explains the company in a press release.
“While automation can help fill those gaps, existing automation solutions are typically single purpose, meaning companies have to onboard and maintain dozens of different solutions for different tasks, or they require expensive customization to the workspace.” The aim is to build a humanoid robot that can best replicate tasks generally assigned to humans.
A multi-purpose robot
Being a multi-purpose machine, it can execute numerous tasks and has the ability to adapt to various workflows; a team of ‘Digits’ robots would be able to switch between tasks depending on the present requirements of the warehouse and seasonal shifts. Since it is also a human-centric robot, it resembles a human body. It has been manufactured to work in spaces designed for human individuals, which makes it easy to deploy them into pre-existing warehouse functions and as-built infrastructure without expensive retrofitting.
“Three years ago, we introduced the first commercially available bi-pedal robot with a human form factor made for work. Since then, we have seen enormous interest in Digit from multinational logistics companies. We have worked closely with them to understand how they want to use Digit to improve warehouse and supply chain operations. We designed the next generation of Digit with those customer use cases in mind,” said Damion Shelton, co-founder, and CEO of Agility Robotics.
“Supply chains are still feeling the aftereffects of the pandemic, and the demand for warehouse labor far exceeds available talent. Companies are turning to automation now more than ever to help mitigate future disruptions. With logistics labor issues such as high turnover, burnout, and injury continuing to rise, we believe Digit to be the future of work,” continued Shelton.
“We look forward to Digit augmenting workforces, taking on the ‘dull, dirty, and dangerous’ tasks, and allowing people to focus on more creative and complex work. We like to think of Digit as enabling humans to be more human.”
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