Agility Robotics Unveils Digit 5 Humanoid Robot That Works Safely Alongside People

Agility Robotics Introduces Cooperatively Safe Humanoid Robot

Agility Robotics has unveiled Digit 5, marking a significant shift in how humanoid robots operate in industrial settings. The next-generation humanoid robot is engineered to work safely alongside people in warehouses and factories without requiring the physical barriers that have traditionally separated robots from human workers1

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. The Salem, Oregon-based company secured more than $300 million in multi-year orders for Digit 5 as of May 2026, with customers spanning manufacturing, warehouses and factories, and logistics sectors3

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. These orders involve at least 1,000 robots over three years from a single customer, contingent on hitting certain contractual milestones2

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. Early access to Digit 5 is expected in the first half of 2027, with general availability by year-end1

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AI-Driven Safety Features Enable Human-Robot Collaboration

Digit 5 represents Agility's first humanoid robot built specifically for cooperatively safe work at scale. The robot works alongside people using sophisticated human detection systems powered by AI algorithms and multimodal sensors to monitor its surroundings1

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. When Digit 5 detects a person at a distance, it autonomously takes precautions like moving to avoid them or standing still to let them pass. If someone enters close proximity, the robot can squat and assume a seated position1

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. According to Pras Velagapudi, chief technology officer at Agility Robotics, the robot features a complex safe motion system that can implement various mitigations depending on the type of human presence detected1

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. Visual and audio cues signal the robot's intended actions, while a separate safety controller triggers responses when people get too close2

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NVIDIA Partnership Powers Safety Architecture

Digit 5 incorporates NVIDIA's Thor IGX hardware, which provides AI compute for robots and medical devices, along with the NVIDIA Halos for Robotics system that delivers a software stack for robotics safety applications1

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. Velagapudi emphasized that Agility is among the first adopters taking this technology through to a functionally safe application, making it core to both the compute capabilities and safety case of Digit 51

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. The robot uses an array of vision-based sensors, though Agility has not disclosed the exact sensor types1

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. Agility developed these safety features while participating in a working group to establish ISO 25785-1, an international safety standard for industrial mobile robots currently under committee review by the International Organization for Standardization's 89 voting nation members1

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Enhanced Physical Capabilities for Industrial Use

Digit 5 lifts 50 pounds repeatedly, representing a 40% increase over its predecessor Digit 4, making it suitable for all single-person lift tasks as defined by US Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations1

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. Standing 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing 284 pounds, the robot can reach heights up to 7.2 feet, compared to Digit 4's 5.5-foot reach, enabling it to access the same shelves as average-size human adults1

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. The new battery system provides 90 minutes of runtime and recharges in just 9 minutes, allowing more than 20 hours of work within a 24-hour period1

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. Digit 5 features swappable grippers with ISO-standard mounting flanges, enabling adaptation for different tasks ranging from tote handling to machine tending, pallet unloading, and parts gathering2

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Proven Track Record With Major Industry Players

Digit 4 has accumulated more than 65,000 hours working at warehouses and factories across North America, with clients including GXO, Schaeffler, Amazon, and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada1

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. At GXO's Flowery Branch facility, Digit 4 processed 100,000 totes with approximately 98% accuracy while on-task3

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. Amazon purchased five Digit robots for $1.05 million and has conducted multiple pilots, including one observed at a warehouse south of Seattle in 20232

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. CEO Peggy Johnson, a former Microsoft executive and Magic Leap CEO, stated that Digit 5 was built to exact customer requirements gathered after three years of Digit 4 operating on production floors2

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. Agility became the first company to deploy humanoid robots in full-time commercial operations at a GXO warehouse in Atlanta, Georgia, in 20241

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Production Expansion and SPAC Merger Plans

Agility is retooling its RoboFab facility in Salem, Oregon, to produce Digit 5, with the factory designed to manufacture up to 10,000 units annually at full capacity1

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. The company is preparing to go public through a $2.5 billion SPAC merger with Churchill Capital Corp XI, which could provide more than $620 million in gross cash proceeds before shareholder redemptions2

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. Agility reported $1.78 million in net sales in 2025, up from $310,000 the previous year, though its loss from operations doubled to $140.2 million2

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. The company's auditor included a going-concern warning, citing substantial doubt about Agility's ability to keep operating, though the company noted this assessment didn't factor in the SPAC merger proceeds2

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. Agility plans to make Digit 5 available for commercial deployment in the European Union and United Kingdom for the first time3

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. The company faces competition from well-funded rivals including Boston Dynamics, Tesla, Apptronik, Figure AI, and 1X Technologies2

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