Agility Robotics announced that it is constructing a 70,000-square-foot RoboFab manufacturing plant in Salem, Oregon, to make more than 10,000 Digit humanoid robot units annually.
According to Agility, the RoboFab plant is projected to make hundreds of Digit humanoids in its first year, with the intention of these robots collaborating with human workers in a factory setting. The company will then scale up its production.
The bipedal Digit is 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighs roughly 141 pounds, and features gripper hands that can carry up to 35 pounds. Digit can also autonomously charge itself to maintain a 16-hour shift.
Digit’s design includes short upper legs, elongated calves that extend behind the torso, and an ankle joint in place of traditional knees. This configuration enables Digit to squat effectively without its knees sticking out, allowing it to pick up boxes with minimal forward leaning.
Digit features camera vision and LiDAR technology. It can be operated with a tablet and programmed with tasks such as picking up and placing items. Agility has also explored incorporating large language model AIs, allowing Digit to program autonomously and respond to spoken instructions.
Agility expects Digit to initially move totes and boxes within its factory and gradually advance to objectives such as loading and unloading trucks. New Atlas reported that the company expects the facility to open this year, customer deliveries will commence in 2024, and general market availability will begin in 2025.
Image Credit: Agility Robotics
