Agility Robotics has introduced the Digit 5 humanoid robot to operate safely around human coworkers inside industrial settings without physical barriers. The company designed the system to slow down, alter its path, or squat when human personnel approach. Early commercial access is scheduled for the first half of 2027, with full general availability arriving by late 2027, according to Ars Technica.
Safety Hardware and Motion Architecture
The system uses vision-based multimodal sensors combined with artificial intelligence models to monitor surroundings continuously. Processing runs on NVIDIA Thor IGX computing hardware integrated with the NVIDIA Halos for Robotics safety stack. Consequently, the machine calculates mitigation strategies in real time rather than requiring complete emergency shutdowns.
“The robot was designed with a complex safe motion system that can take a variety of different mitigations depending on exactly what sort of human presence is detected.”
Pras Velagapudi, Chief Technology Officer at Agility Robotics
Specifications of the Digit 5 Humanoid Robot
Standing 5 feet 11 inches tall, the Digit 5 humanoid robot reaches up to 7.2 feet to access standard warehouse shelving. Upgraded leg architecture enables repeated lifting of 50-pound payloads, aligning with single-person lifting guidelines from workplace safety authorities. Furthermore, quick-swap end-effectors allow operators to install specialized hands for diverse material handling tasks.
Power management supports demanding operational schedules across commercial logistics facilities. The onboard battery delivers 90 minutes of active run time per charge and recharges fully in nine minutes. As a result, the unit operates for more than 20 hours within a standard 24-hour cycle.
Industrial Deployments and Facility Expansion
Agility Robotics is currently retooling its RoboFab manufacturing facility in Salem, Oregon, to produce the new machines. Earlier Digit models have logged over 65,000 operational hours across North American sites, including facilities managed by Amazon, GXO, Schaeffler, and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada. These deployments demonstrate growing commercial interest across the global logistics economy.
Global Standards and Future Workplace Integration
Agility Robotics is also participating in the development of the ISO 25785-1 safety standard for industrial mobile robotics. This standard remains under committee review across 89 member nations. Establishing standardized safety benchmarks will allow companies in the automotive and manufacturing sectors to deploy mobile robotic units directly into existing shared workspaces.
