Agility Robotics unveiled Digit 5 on September 15, introducing a 5-foot-11-inch humanoid designed to move materials alongside people in warehouses and manufacturing facilities.

Developed in Salem, Oregon, the 284-pound machine can repeatedly lift 50 pounds and recharge its battery in nine minutes.

The fifth-generation robot incorporates lessons gathered during three years of customer deployments involving Digit 4. 

Agility redesigned its hardware, power system, and safety architecture after customers requested a larger payload, longer operating hours, and the ability to use the robot without separating it from workers using physical barriers.

One of Digit 5’s most noticeable changes is the removal of the backward-bending, bird-like legs associated with its predecessor. Its new legs bend in a more human-like direction, allowing the robot to crouch, collect cargo, and kneel without striking its ankles against the floor.

Powered by proprietary cycloidal actuators, the redesigned joints help Digit carry large objects throughout the working day. The changes have increased its payload capacity by 40 percent, enabling it to handle loads weighing up to 50 pounds repeatedly.

Knee pads support the robot when it kneels. It can also move into a seated position and shut down its motors, allowing workers to approach it more safely.

Digit 5’s reach has grown from 5.5 feet to 7.2 feet. Despite the additional reach, the robot remains compact enough to pass through standard doorways and work within facilities originally built for people.

The humanoid is powered by a battery that provides 90 minutes of operation before needing a recharge.

Source link