Agility Robotics Unveils Digit 5 Humanoid Robot

Agility Robotics has introduced Digit 5, its latest humanoid robot engineered to operate safely alongside human workers in industrial settings. Built on the foundation of its predecessor, Digit 4, which logged over 65,000 hours of operational time across commercial deployments over three years, the new model is designed for heavy-duty tasks. Digit 5 can repeatedly lift loads weighing up to 50 pounds and features a swappable gripper system that allows operators to switch end-effectors for tasks like machine tending and tote handling.

To address safety concerns that often stall commercial robotics scaling, Agility integrated advanced human-detection systems and motion intent communication into Digit 5. These features allow the robot to adapt its behavior to nearby hazards, reducing the need for physical safety barriers. This architecture is powered in part by Nvidia, with Agility serving as the first launch partner for the Nvidia Halos for Robotics platform. Digit 5 integrates Agility's proprietary systems with Nvidia's IGX Thor and Halos Core infrastructure.

The launch comes as the robotics industry grapples with a lack of standardized safety frameworks for general-purpose humanoids. To help establish these rules, Agility is contributing to the ANSI/A3 TR R15.108 technical report and the upcoming ISO 25785-1 international safety standard. Lian Jye Su, an analyst at Omdia, noted that safety remains a real bottleneck and called Digit 5 "the clearest industrial attempt to address this challenge." Su warned that while hardware is mature, the industry still lacks robust verification frameworks for humanoid AI models.

For warehouse and manufacturing practitioners, Digit 5 represents a shift toward more flexible, collaborative automation in dynamic environments. Agility plans to begin early access for the robot in the first half of 2027, with general availability for manufacturing, warehouse, and distribution operators scheduled for the end of 2027.