Agility Robotics has unveiled Digit 5, the latest version of its humanoid robot, which the company says is designed to work safely alongside people in warehouses and factories. Announced on September 15, the machine is pitched as a step toward robots that can share a floor with human staff rather than being fenced off behind safety cages. The company said the design reflects lessons from earlier models deployed in commercial settings.
Central to the update is a safety system that runs continuously in the background. Agility said the robot uses artificial intelligence to watch for nearby people, gives visual and audible signals to show where it intends to move, and relies on a separate controller that can intervene when needed. The company described Digit 5 as the first humanoid to pass a field evaluation by OSHA, the United States workplace safety regulator, for industrial use.
The robot stands 5 feet 11 inches tall, can reach objects at about 7.2 feet and weighs 284 pounds. It can lift loads of up to 50 pounds, which Agility said is a 40 percent increase over the previous model. Its interchangeable hands attach through a standard mount, letting operators swap end effectors so the same machine can handle different tasks across a shift.
Agility has also focused on keeping the robot running for longer stretches. Digit 5 uses a battery that lasts about 90 minutes and recharges in nine minutes, a ratio the company said allows more than 20 hours of productive work in a day. The robots are built at the firm’s RoboFab plant in Salem, Oregon, which is designed to produce up to 10,000 units a year. Agility is led by chief executive Peggy Johnson and also has operations in Pittsburgh and Fremont, California.
The company said it holds more than 300 million dollars in multiyear orders, and listed GXO, Schaeffler, Amazon and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada among its customers. Early access to Digit 5 is expected in the first half of 2027, with general availability in North America, the European Union and the United Kingdom planned by the end of that year. The launch comes as several firms race to move humanoid robots from demonstrations into everyday commercial use.
