The integration of Digit into Amazon's operations could have a significant impact on the future of humanoid robots. The company's decision to stop supporting Kiva customers outside the Amazon ecosystem led to the foundation of some of the industry's biggest names, including Locus Robotics and 6 River Systems. If Amazon successfully rolls out Digit at scale, it could spark widespread interest in humanoid workers. However, Brady confirmed that Digit is not the only mobile manipulation system Amazon is considering, and the company is exploring other combinations of sensing, compute, and actuation.
Key takeaways:
- Amazon will begin testing Agility’s Digit, a bipedal robot, in its nationwide fulfillment centers, potentially signaling a shift from the company's focus on wheeled autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).
- Amazon named Agility one of the first five recipients of the company’s $1 billion Industrial Innovation Fund in 2021, indicating interest in the potential of walking robots.
- Agility's Digit, despite being less human-looking than other humanoid robots, has a significant head start with substantial funding and a new factory capable of producing up to 100,000 Digits a year.
- Amazon's testing of Digit could have a profound impact on the trajectory of humanoid robots, particularly if the robot can successfully integrate into Amazon's existing workflows and scale.