Agility Robotics has officially launched Digit 5, the company's latest humanoid robot platform designed to perform physically demanding labor at scale within commercial settings. Developed over more than a decade of research, the robot is engineered to operate in warehouse and manufacturing environments, specifically targeting tasks like bin handling that are repetitive or physically stressful.
Digit 5 represents a significant shift toward commercial utility for Agility Robotics. While earlier platforms like ATRIAS and Cassie focused on dynamic locomotion and research, Digit 5 is designed to meet strict commercial and regulatory standards, including European CE compliance, North American UL electrical-safety certifications, and FCC electromagnetic radiation limits. Weighing over 120 kilograms, the robot is built to lift 23-kilogram bins onto shelves up to 1.75 meters high. Its power system allows for near-continuous operation; the robot can run for 90 minutes and fully recharge in 9 minutes using a 240-ampere, 48-volt dock.
A primary design priority for Digit 5 is safety, enabling the robot to work safely alongside human coworkers. To meet insurance and regulatory requirements without relying on physical safety cages, the robot utilizes a suite of sensors to detect nearby people. Upon detecting a human, Digit 5 is programmed to halt its tasks, set down its payload, and sit on the floor before cutting power to its motors.
Unlike previous iterations, Digit 5 features a humanoid leg configuration. The company moved away from the earlier "ostrichlike" leg design used in its predecessors because the new geometry better supports squatting motions required for lifting heavy objects from near the floor. Although the addition of extensive sensors, cooling systems, and robust batteries has increased the robot's size and mass compared to earlier, more lithe versions, the company maintains these trade-offs are necessary to achieve a commercially viable, safe, and productive humanoid worker. Agility Robotics currently operates a 70,000-square-foot facility, RoboFab, with the capacity to produce more than 10,000 units of the new robot per year.
Source: IEEE Spectrum
Original article: https://spectrum.ieee.org/agility-robotics-digit-5-redesign
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