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Agility Robotics has unveiled Digit 5, the next generation of its versatile humanoid robot. Digit 5 is Agility’s first humanoid robot designed for safe collaboration on a large scale, allowing it to operate alongside people without the physical safety barriers required by traditional automation.
The company built it according to precise customer requirements following three years of operation of the previous model, Digit 4, at their production sites. Safety has been one of the biggest obstacles to scaling up humanoid robots in commercial settings. Digit 5’s new safety architecture is designed to reduce reliance on safety fences, which are commonly used in traditional robotics, allowing the robot to operate in close proximity to people.
Digit 5 integrates safe human detection using its own AI algorithms and sensors to autonomously avoid, stop, or assume a seated position. It also uses visual and audible signals to communicate its movement intentions and warn those around it. An independent safety controller monitors Digit’s response when people enter a hazardous distance and instantly activates appropriate safety measures.
Digit 5 is backed by over 65,000 hours of real-world operation and combines a new safety architecture – developed on the basis of NVIDIA IGX Thor and the Halos for Robotics safety platform – to help humanoids collaborate safely in factories and warehouses.
Developed in response to three years of customer feedback, Digit 5 delivers significant hardware improvements. The new leg design, engineered to withstand repetitive lifting and powered by proprietary cycloidal drive technology, enables the robot to lift loads weighing up to 22.7 kg repeatedly.
The new battery system, with a 90-minute runtime, charges in just 9 minutes, providing the robot with a runtime-to-charging ratio of 10 to 1 compared to 2 to 1 in its predecessor, resulting in over 20 hours of productive work per day. The interchangeable gripper design with ISO-standard mounting flanges allows for tool changes tailored to specific tasks. The robot weighs 129 kg, stands 1.81 m tall, and can reach heights of up to 2.2 m, which corresponds to the dimensions of shelves, aisles, doorways, and workstations designed for humans.
Digit has the longest track record among humanoid robots actively operating in industrial facilities, with nearly three years of continuous commercial deployment. Digit 4 has logged over 65,000 hours of operational time and has worked at numerous client sites in North America, including GXO, Schaeffler, Amazon, and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada. At the GXO facility in Floury Branch near Atlanta, Digit 4 reached a cumulative total of 100,000 trays processed, maintaining a task accuracy rate of approximately 98%.
In addition to the United States and Canada, the company plans to make Digit available for commercial deployment outside North America for the first time, starting with the European Union and the United Kingdom. Digit 5 is expected to carry the CE mark and additional regulatory markings to ensure market access in the EU, the United Kingdom, and Northern Ireland. Early access to the new product will begin in the first half of 2027, and general availability for manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution operators is expected by the end of 2027.
See also: Replacing Human Guide Dogs: An AI Robot Dog for the Blind Was Unveiled in Beijing