New humanoid robot 'cowers' and drops to its knees when workers get too close

Warehouse robots are getting a new lesson in manners: back off when people get too close. 

Agility Robotics' newest humanoid, Digit 5, is designed to freeze, step aside, or even drop to its knees when a worker enters its space, a safety feature that could make shared job sites feel much more human-friendly.

Here's what to know

In Agility Robotics' demo footage, Digit 5 flinches and kneels when a person suddenly approaches.

As Futurism reported, the company introduced it as a "general purpose" humanoid robot meant to operate around people in settings like warehouses, noting that it "cowers" when people get close.

That behavior is by design: the machine relies on sensors and "proprietary AI algorithms" to "continuously monitor for people and take appropriate action by autonomously avoiding, stopping, or assuming a seated position."

Agility Robotics CTO Pras Velagapudi told Ars Technica: "The robot was designed with a complex safe motion system that can take a variety of different mitigations depending on exactly what sort of human presence is detected."

Futurism reported that Digit 5 also includes Nvidia's Thor IGX chip for real-time human detection, can repeatedly lift up to 50 pounds, and offers what the company describes as "full coverage of single-person lift tasks in OSHA-regulated facilities."

More background

Robots have long raised workplace safety questions in warehouses and industrial environments, where breakdowns can lead to injuries, fires, and, in the worst cases, deaths. Those concerns are heightened when the machines can move freely alongside human coworkers.

What makes Digit 5 notable is that it is built to give way. Its cautious-looking reactions suggest the robot, not the worker, is expected to adjust first.

Agility said its bots are already being used in commercial operations by companies including Amazon and Toyota.

What's being done?

For companies building humanoid robots, safety is becoming a core design feature, not something added later. With Digit 5, that approach centers on onboard computing and vision-based sensors that watch for nearby movement and trigger an immediate response.

Agility is also aiming for practical uptime, saying the robot runs for 90 minutes per battery and can recharge in nine minutes, "enabling more than 20 hours of productive work in a 24-hour day."

Where can I learn more?

Humanoid robots are starting to show up in more workplaces as companies test how they handle real jobs around people.

• At Hyundai, humanoid robots in manufacturing are being shaped for EV production lines.

• In China, a major automaker tested humanoid robots as interns on factory floors.

• At Argonne, engineers built human-like robots to clean up dangerous nuclear waste.

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