Digit, the human-like robot created by Oregon-based Agility Robotics, was front and center this week at a big Amazon event.
The Seattle retail and tech giant (Nasdaq: AMZN) was showing off innovation within its research and development warehouse facility in Sumner, Washington. One area of importance to the company is reducing injury rates within its warehouses.
That’s where Digit comes in.
The robot is designed to move like a human so it can work in areas that are designed for humans. Puget Sound Business Journal reporter Alex Halverson was on hand for the event and here’s how he describes Amazon’s interest in humanoid robotics:
Digit, has been designed to handle Amazon's sea of bright yellow totes, which hold items that employees use to stow items at fulfillment centers. The bipedal robots, equipped with arms that hinge at the elbow and backlit rectangles instead of eyes, can grab totes, move them to different locations and set them down. Though humanlike, Amazon says they're not designed to replace jobs.
"Digit takes over repetitive tasks, but it still needs that human judgment at the end of the conveyor belt," said Emily Vetterick, director of research and development for Amazon robotics, during a Digit exhibit.
Vetterick said the robot is designed to work alongside human associates, a point repeated often by Amazon robotics executives who say the technology is developed with people at the center. Aside from testing for safety and efficiency, Vetterick said Digit is tested for feedback from other employees, in response to a question over whether there was a concern that the average associate would find them "creepy."
Amazon is an investor in Agility Robotics through its Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund. The company participated in Agility’s $150 million round raised last year.
In a blog post about its robotics use, Amazon noted that it is “broadening” its partnership with Agility. Digit is expected to work collaboratively with employees, the company said.
“Our initial use for this technology will be to help employees with tote recycling, a highly repetitive process of picking up and moving empty totes once inventory has been completely picked out of them,” wrote Scott Dresser, vice president of Amazon Robotics in a blog post.
Just last month Agility announced that it is building a robotics factory in Salem. Dubbed RoboFab, the factory will have capacity to produce more than 10,000 robots a year once it is fully ramped up. Construction on the project began last year and is expected to complete by Jan. 1. The company believes it will produce hundreds of robots in the first year.
Agility Robotics grew out of research at Oregon State University. The company is co-headquartered in Corvallis, where the company has its research hub, and Pittsburgh.
