Agility Robotics, an American company, has unveiled the first human-like robot designed with the safety of working alongside humans in mind. The new robot named Digit 5 opens up possibilities for robot use in warehouses and car assembly plants without the need for isolated work zones or physical barriers. When Digit 5 detects a person nearby, it autonomously takes precautionary measures, such as stopping or moving to avoid collisions. In situations where people are close to the robot, it can sit down to assume a seated position.
Customers will have early access to Digit 5 in the first half of 2027, with wider availability by the end of the same year. To manufacture the new model, Agility repurposed its RoboFab factory in Salem, Oregon. The company’s leadership has emphasized safety as a key factor when integrating human-like robots in industrial settings. In 2024, Agility was the first to deploy human-like robots commercially at GXO warehouse in Atlanta, Georgia. Since then, earlier versions of the Digit robot have accumulated over 65,000 hours of operation in warehouses and plants across North America.
Participating in the testing and implementation of the robots were companies like GXO, Schaeffler, Amazon, and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada. In recent years, competition for the deployment of humanoid robots has intensified. American and Chinese companies are ramping up production and utilization of robots in various job settings. Yet, safety remains a major obstacle for all, as stated by Agility’s co-founder and robotics researcher at Oregon State University, Jonathan Hurst.
Agility’s Technical Director, Pras Velagapudi, noted that Digit 5 offers a more detailed approach to ensuring the safety of people near robots, unlike simply shutting down and restarting the machine. He mentioned that Agility’s robot fleet management methods can interact with clients’ workplace security systems. Digit 5 uses artificial intelligence algorithms along with a set of built-in multimodal sensors to detect people in proximity. Velagapudi declined to specify the types of sensors used for tracking people, stating that it includes “several different types of sensors based on machine vision.”
Agility’s innovation is based on the Nvidia Thor IGX hardware platform, which provides AI computing for robots and medical devices. The platform also integrates Nvidia Halos for Robotics software stack for safety applications. Agility has developed safety features for Digit 5 and has participated in a working group to establish an international safety standard for industrial mobile robots under the International Organization for Standardization. The ISO 25785-1 standard is currently under review by the organization’s 89 member countries for voting.
Digit 5 boasts improved leg design compared to its predecessor, enabling it to lift loads up to 22 kg multiple times. This capacity allows the robot to perform load-lifting tasks meant for a single person, as defined by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules. The humanoid robot comes equipped with a battery providing up to 90 minutes of autonomous operation and quick charging in just 9 minutes. Standing at 180 cm tall – taller than Digit 4, Digit 5 can reach a maximum height of 220 cm. It features interchangeable grippers that enable swift attachment of new manipulators for various tasks.
About the Author
