The Manufacturing Impact of Agility's Humanoid Robot Upgrade
Agility Robotics has introduced a range of technical upgrades to Digit, its humanoid robot now operating in commercial warehouse settings. Announced at the ProMat supply chain event, the enhancements aim to boost efficiency, ensure safety compliance and improve compatibility with existing automation systems.
Key improvements include a longer battery life of up to four hours, autonomous docking features and refined manufacturing processes designed to support large-scale deployment. Safety updates comprise Category 1 stop capability, integration of a Safety PLC, emergency stop controls on the robot itself, a wireless teach pendant and Functional Safety protocols over EtherCAT.
"These upgrades allow Agility to expand Digit's capabilities to meet our expanding commercial and customer needs," said Melonee Wise, Chief Product Officer at Agility Robotics. "Together, they reinforce our commitment to cooperative safety, and demonstrate a path for Digit and human colleagues to one day work side by side."
The company maintains that its position as provider of the first commercially-deployed humanoid robots in warehouses provides unique insights from operational testing in real-world applications.
Introducing Agility Robotics & Digit
Founded in 2015, Agility Robotics has become a leading force in the field of commercial humanoid robotics, with Digit as its flagship model. The bipedal robot stands around 1.7 metres tall and weighs 42 kilograms, purpose-built for logistics and warehouse tasks where navigating spaces designed for humans is key.
Digit is equipped with arms featuring advanced grasping capabilities, a suite of sensors for navigation and object recognition, and a finely tuned bipedal locomotion system that allows it to handle uneven surfaces and move through confined spaces. Its development began with earlier research prototypes, gradually evolving into the commercially viable version available today.
In 2022, Agility Robotics secured US$150m in Series B funding, led by DCVC and Playground Global, which significantly boosted its manufacturing capacity and supported wider commercial rollout. The company operates production facilities in the United States, where each Digit robot is assembled, tested and refined using insights gathered from real-world customer deployments.
Digit has advanced from controlled demonstrations to active deployment in warehouses, including facilities run by logistics provider GXO, where the robots now handle repetitive material handling tasks once carried out by human workers. These deployments mark the forefront of commercial humanoid robotics, transitioning from research environments into practical industrial uses.
Autonomous mobile robot integration connects Digit to existing warehouse systems
Agility stresses the complementary nature of humanoid robots and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), highlighting the synergy between the technologies rather than viewing them as competitors. Digit can now autonomously direct AMRs to transport goods to locations such as packout stations, tackling what the company describes as "islands of automation" created as warehouse technologies have developed.
The Arc cloud robotic platform, developed by Agility, now enables communication between Digit and AMR systems to manage task allocation. This integration has been applied at Digit's deployment for GXO near Atlanta, Georgia, with ProMat demonstrations showcasing compatibility with MiR and Zebra Technologies AMRs in Chicago.
Safety standards for Dynamically Stable Industrial Mobile Robots are still being finalised, with Agility working towards OSHA-compliant environments. The company has also upgraded Digit’s user interface, incorporating front and rear displays to monitor Wi-Fi status, connectivity, battery levels and maintenance needs.
Key technical safety features include the Category 1 stop, which ensures controlled halting by maintaining power to actuators during deceleration; Safety PLC systems that meet performance level d standards; emergency stop buttons; and FailSafe over EtherCAT protocol for secure communication across EtherCAT networks.
The Agility Arc platform acts as a fleet management system for humanoid robots in commercial environments, with new updates supporting Digit’s operations, charger management, workcell EMS functionality, webhook integration, remote monitoring, and enhanced Enterprise Systems Integration.
ProMat demonstrations highlighted applications such as tote stacking and unstacking, unit sorting, AMR loading and unloading, palletising and depalletising, nesting, flowrack and cart handling, and automated putwall operations.
"Humanoids and AMRs have complementary strengths. Humanoids excel at complex manipulation, grasping and navigating human-centric spaces, while AMRs are efficient at transporting goods over longer distances," said Melonee.
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