From left: Jim Shaw, president of Zion Solutions Group; Steve Crowe, chair of the Robotics Summit & Expo; and Jonathan Hurst, chief robotics officer of Agility, with RBR50 winner Digit. Source: Agility Robotics
To become useful tools in industrial settings, humanoid robots will need to integrate with enterprise systems. Agility Robotics Inc. today announced that it has partnered with Zion Solutions Group, which it claimed will be the first systems integrator to offer a humanoid robot to the supply chain industry.
Many companies have turned to automation to increase warehouse efficiency and productivity, noted Agility Robotics. However, staffers remain difficult to find for certain tasks because of high turnover, high injury rates, and an ever-growing labor gap, it said.
The company said it has designed its systems to address monotonous bulk materials-handling tasks that connect isolated manual and automated workflows. Agility Robotics described Digit as a “bipedal mobile manipulation robot” (MMR).
Jonathan Hurst, co-founder and chief robot officer at Agility Robotics, delivered a keynote address at last week’s Robotics Summit & Expo, and the company won the 2024 RBR50 Robot of the Year Award for commercial trials of Digit.
Agility Robotics designs Digit to help human workers
Corvallis, Ore.-based Agility Robotics has offices in Pittsburgh and Palo Alto, Calif. Its stated mission is “to build robot partners that augment the human workforce, ultimately enabling humans to be more human.”
Digit incorporates artificial intelligence models that allow it to adapt quickly and continually to new tasks and workflows, said the company. Agility recently partnered with warehouse management systems (WMS) provider Manhattan Associates.
It asserted that the MMR is designed to comply with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety standards. Agility Robotics added that Digit can work safely in human spaces and perform a variety of difficult, repetitive, and sometimes dangerous tasks in logistics and manufacturing operations.
Agility Arc is a cloud automation platform for deploying and managing fleets of Digit robots. It can simplify the deployment lifecycle from facility mapping and workflow definition to operations management and troubleshooting, said Agility Robotics.
Zion Solutions Group expects industry transformation
Agility Robotics said its partnership will allow Zion Solutions Group to integrate its systems, including Digit and Agility Arc, into Zion’s warehouse systems and designs.
“Agility Robotics is a leader in robotic technology, paving the way for the next generation of supply chain innovation,” stated Jim Shaw, president of Zion Solutions Group. “We are thrilled to be the very first systems integrator to introduce humanoid robotics as a solution. We believe that in the not-so-distant future, this technology will revolutionize how humans and robots work alongside each other in warehouses.”
“Agility’s Digit, which became the first humanoid robot operational in a live warehouse environment in 2023, is already transforming collaborative workflows,” he added. “Agility’s practical and robust strategic approach resonates deeply with our mission to deliver memorable experiences and guide intelligent change. We’re excited to bring this groundbreaking technology to our customers.”
Zion Solutions Group said it has more than 90 years of expertise in supply chain integration. It specializes in materials handling, advisory services, and data analytics and provides services ranging from consulting to post-implementation support. Zion said its client-centric approach and project lifecycle management (PLM) process can provide custom systems to drive success and sustainable growth for its partners.
“The visionary team at Zion understands how innovative robotics solutions like Digit and Agility Arc will transform the future of supply chain operations,” said Peggy Johnson, CEO of Agility Robotics.
“When it comes to designing and implementing safe, efficient workflows and productive facilities, Zion’s deep industry experience and progressive approach to automation make it an ideal match for Agility,” she said. “We are honored to partner with a company that shares our commitment to customer success.”
Digit at the inaugural RBR50 Gala. Credit: Eugene Demaitre