Agility Robotics has proudly unveiled the next generation of its human-centric and multi-purpose robot, Digit, specifically created for logistics work. Digit has been designed to operate in spaces intended for people and can conveniently go where humans go for useful work. The robot will initially focus on bulk material handling inside warehouse and distribution centers.
The COVID-19 pandemic has produced far-reaching effects on supply chains, and the demand for warehouse labor remains beyond available talent. Companies are increasingly turning to automation to help mitigate future disruptions. Damion Shelton, the co-founder and CEO of Agility Robotics, remarked, “We believe Digit to be the future of work, with logistics labor issues like high turnover, burnout, and injury continuing to rise. 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.”
The next-generation Digit will be on full display at ProMat 2023 in Chicago from March 20-23. Attendees, estimated at 45,000, will witness fully autonomous live demonstrations in a replica work cell of a warehouse. Simultaneously, Agility Robotics will open up applications for a limited number of coveted spots in the Agility Partner Program (APP). This APP will grant its partners an exclusive opportunity to shape and develop Digit’s skills and abilities. It will also serve as the only option to purchase the most advanced generation of Digit.
Warehouse work comprises numerous process-automated, repetitive tasks that often cause injury and high turnover rates, leaving costly gaps in the workforce and disrupting supply chains. Although automation can replenish these gaps, current solutions are usually single-purpose, requiring companies to maintain and onboard different solutions for different tasks, which is costly. Digit, however, is multi-purpose and flexible enough to perform a variety of tasks and adapt to multiple workflows.
Digit’s fleet will be adept at switching between applications depending on prevailing warehouse needs and seasonal shifts. Additionally, because Digit is human-centric, with dimensions and build similar to humans and structured to work in spaces designed for people, it is easy to deploy into existing warehouse operations without costly retrofitting.
Agility Robotics is offering a limited number of spots for forward-thinking companies in the Agility Partner Program (APP) who wish to deploy Digit in their warehouse or supply chain operations. Agility Robotics, through on-site visits and dedicated engineering resources, will work closely with APP partners to understand their warehouse workflows and pain points and demonstrate how Digit can alleviate these issues, commencing with tote movement and manipulation. APP participants will be able to influence the development of new skills and capabilities for Digit based on their real-world use cases.
Digit has integrated decades of research, development, and breakthroughs in dynamic mobility and manipulation from Agility’s team. This integration empowers Digit to navigate obstacles easily, walk on uneven surfaces in different human environments, and handle and move objects with ease. Most excitingly, the next generation of Digit features newly designed, optimized end effectors, or hands, that can grab and move plastic totes commonly found in e-commerce and shipping warehouses, and a head and eyes to enhance human-robot interaction.
