Humanoids + humans: Agility Robotics CEO on new Digit 5

Agility Robotics is launching Digit 5, its newest humanoid robot. Digit 5 is designed to work in close proximity with humans without the physical safety barriers that have traditionally separated robots from workers.

In this episode of Humanoid Daily, we chat with Agility Robotics CEO Peggy Johnson.

She explains what has changed with Digit 5, including a 50-pound payload capacity, faster charging, improved vision and human detection, swappable end effectors, and the ability to move between multiple tasks inside logistics and manufacturing facilities.

We also dig into one of the biggest challenges facing humanoid robotics: safety.

Peggy explains how Agility is working with ANSI and ISO standards, how Digit detects and reacts to nearby humans, and why removing safety cages could unlock much broader deployment of humanoid robots.

We discuss where humanoids fit alongside traditional automation and autonomous mobile robots, why Agility chose legs instead of wheels, what the company has learned from more than 65,000 hours of real-world robot operation, and how customers including major logistics and manufacturing companies are helping shape Digit’s development.

Peggy also shares how Agility trains new robotic skills using a combination of real-world operational data, simulation tools such as NVIDIA Isaac Sim, and learning from demonstration.

Plus, we talk about the increasingly competitive humanoid robotics market, Agility Robotics’ U.S.-based manufacturing strategy, RoboFab, and what Digit 5 could be capable of a year from now compared with day one.

Topics include:

• Digit 5 and human-robot collaboration
• Humanoid robot safety
• 50-pound payload capacity
• Fast charging and multi-shift operation
• Robotics standards and regulation
• Legs versus wheels
• Warehouse and manufacturing automation
• Agility Robotics’ RoboFab
• Physical AI and robot training
• NVIDIA Isaac Sim
• Learning from demonstration
• The growing humanoid robotics market

00:00 Digit 5 can now work around humans

00:32 Introducing Agility Robotics’ Digit 5

01:17 50-pound payloads and longer operating time

02:03 Fast charging vs. swappable batteries

03:02 Why Digit can move differently than humans

04:03 The growing industrial labor gap

05:01 Breaking the humanoid safety barrier

05:41 How Digit detects nearby humans

06:18 Building safety standards for humanoid robots

07:05 When Digit 5 will begin deploying

07:30 How fast should a humanoid robot walk?

08:02 What happens when a human gets too close?

09:04 Why Agility is taking a cautious approach

10:03 Swappable grippers and robotic end effectors

11:05 Using the existing robotics ecosystem

11:42 Where humanoid robotics is today

13:00 Moving from one task to end-to-end workflows

14:17 The factory of the future

15:30 Humanoids vs. wheeled robots

16:41 Why legs make sense for Digit

17:36 Connecting Digit with other automation

18:03 The exploding humanoid robotics market

18:42 Agility’s real-world advantage

19:17 What Agility has learned from customers

20:28 How U.S. policy affects Agility Robotics

21:05 RoboFab and Agility’s U.S. operations

22:04 Expanding Digit 5 into Europe

23:00 How Digit 5 will gain new skills

23:39 The race to train humanoid robots

24:31 Real data, simulation and Isaac Sim

25:02 Learning from demonstration

25:48 Final thoughts