Agility's Newest Robot with Digital Abilities is Getting Ready for its Inaugural Mission.

Human-centered design

Today at the ProMat conference in Chicago, Agility Robotics is showcasing the newest version of their bipedal robot, Digit. This robot is specifically designed for warehouse and logistics operations and aims for commercial success in the short-term. This updated version of Digit features a head for improved human-robot interaction, as well as manipulators intended for its initial task. Agility Robotics anticipates that this first task will open the door to a successful business venture focused on introducing bipedal robots into various work environments.

To give you some context, let me share some information about Digit, our bipedal robot. If you're curious and want to learn more, feel free to check out the article Jonathan Hurst, Agility's CTO and cofounder, wrote for us in 2019 that delves into the robot's creation. Now, let's delve into the latest and greatest version of Digit.

The most noticeable change is Digit's head, which can make the robot seem either more regular or odd depending on how you visualized the previous version with neck-mounted lidar. The head's design is thoughtful—it's still a biped, not a humanoid, so it's not intended to resemble a human head. This is why it's slanted in a way that human heads usually aren't. However, the head's purpose is to create a focal point for human-robot interaction, so people can easily understand what Digit is doing. There's still some work to do, as this isn't the final version, but Agility can now begin collaborating with customers to determine how Digit should use its head in a practical sense.

is key when it comes to handling totes in warehouses and distribution centers. Digit's hands have been specially created to efficiently and effectively move totes around. Being quick and nimble is essential for successfully maneuvering around in these busy environments. The design of Digit's hands ensures that totes can be picked up and moved quickly and securely, making the entire process seamless and efficient.

The fresh and improved arms on Digit are specifically created for a singular purpose - to shift totes, the containers that regulate the progress of materials in a storage facility. These arms aren't particularly reminiscent of human limbs, nor do they boast any extravagant features, but they are precisely what Digit necessitates to carry out its designated responsibility. And that task is:

That's all there is to it: picking up bins from shelves and placing them onto a moving strip (and eventually, returning them to the shelves). It's not extravagant or intricate and for a person, it's incredibly easy. Essentially, it's an automated function, but in many warehouses, people are undertaking tasks that technology like Digit could handle instead. Alternatively, in several instances, there aren't enough people willing to perform these tasks, and thus firms are finding it challenging to fill these roles.

It's incredibly difficult for a robot to accomplish a task like this, especially if it involves using legs. Nonetheless, including legs is necessary as they provide Digit with a comparable range of movement as a human, while taking up the same amount of space. This is crucial if we aim to have robots replace humans without any major and expensive infrastructure changes. Digit's capabilities are endless, as emphasized by Agility in their latest news release.

It should be noted that Digit has many functions, but currently it only performs one task. Although this task is useful, the application is not suitable for use as it is not efficient enough to be profitable. Agility needs to make some improvements, but the company is introducing a partner program for commercial customers who want to use Digit. The company also needs to start manufacturing a large amount of robots, which is a difficult task. Instead of just building a few robots for academic purposes, they will have to create and maintain tens, hundreds, or even billions of Digit units. This challenge will not be easy, but Agility is up for it.

Converting a robot from a research project into a money-making platform has always been a challenging feat. Especially one that walks on two legs and performs tasks that are typically done by humans. Although it's inevitable that someone will succeed, it's difficult to predict when it will happen. The process may take much longer than anticipated, much like autonomous cars. Nevertheless, Agility has set an ambitious timeline for themselves by launching a partner program and planning to manufacture robots at a large scale soon. They aim to deliver robots to their partners by early 2024 and to the general public the following year.

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