As some robots begin to take on specific tasks, Agility Robotics is preparing a new generation of Digit to work in closer proximity to us. The company unveiled Digit 5, a redesigned version of its humanoid robot, designed primarily for use in factories, warehouses, and logistics operations.

One of the key changes lies in how the robot reacts to the people around it; traditionally, large industrial robots operate within areas cordoned off by cages, sensors, and other safety barriers. Digit 5 ​​was designed to reduce this separation: if a person enters its workspace, the humanoid can slow down, alter its path, come to a halt, or even sit down, depending on the situation.

The goal is to allow humans and robots to share the same environment more naturally, but Agility has also enhanced the robot's physical capabilities. Digit 5 ​​can carry loads of approximately 22.7 kilograms—about 40 percent more than the previous generation—and reach objects positioned up to 2.2 meters high.

Battery life remains a challenge; each battery offers approximately 90 minutes of operation, though the robot was designed for rapid swapping and recharging, taking about nine minutes to replenish energy using this system. Agility Robotics claims that Digit 5 ​​can remain productive for more than 20 hours a day. There is also another sign that the company is aiming to take the humanoid beyond mere demonstrations: Agility reports having already secured over $300 million in multi-year orders as it prepares for the initial rollout of Digit 5 ​​in the first half of 2027.

The shift may seem minor, but it is fundamental to the next phase of robotics; building a humanoid capable of working is not enough. If these machines are truly to populate factories and warehouses, they must also learn to work in the same spaces as us.