Agility Robotics’ Jonathan Hurst to debate humanoids in Robotics Summit keynote


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Traditionally, humanoids have been relegated to robotics analysis labs. Nonetheless, the tides are altering. There are a number of corporations creating humanoids to carry out helpful work in the actual world. And all of it started with Agility Robotics’ Digit humanoid.

Agility Robotics co-founder and chief robotic officer Jonathan Hurst will keynote the Robotics Summit & Expo, which runs Might 1-2 in Boston. The occasion will entice 5,000-plus attendees and is designed to assist robotics engineers overcome the technical challenges of constructing industrial robots. The Robotics Summit & Expo is produced by The Robotic Report and dad or mum firm WTWH Media.

Hurst’s keynote on Might 1 from 9 AM to 9:45 AM is named “Humanoid Robots Get to Work.” It is going to discover the technological breakthroughs propelling humanoids like Digit into the actual world. Attendees will study concerning the ongoing challenges and alternatives and can go inside Digit’s first pilots with Amazon, GXO Logistics and extra.

“Agility Robotics is the world’s main developer of humanoid robots for industrial purposes,” mentioned Steve Crowe, chair of the Robotics Summit & Expo and govt editor of The Robotic Report. “Humanoids from varied corporations are beginning to be evaluated by giant corporations to reinforce their workflows. Jonathan has devoted his profession to creating humanoids, and we’re ecstatic he’s coming to the Summit to coach us on this rising expertise.”

Hurst can also be a professor and co-founder of the Oregon State College Robotics Institute. He holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering and an M.S. and Ph.D. in robotics, all from Carnegie Mellon College. Hurst’s college analysis focuses on understanding the elemental science and engineering finest practices for robotic legged locomotion and bodily interplay.

Agility Robotics’ Digit heads out of the lab

Digit has been in improvement for a number of years now. However in late 2023, Amazon introduced it’s testing Digit in an R&D warehouse close to Seattle. Standing 5ft 9in tall, Digit can carry and carry as much as 35 lbs (16kg), crouch, attain, choose up and put down. The preliminary use for Digit is to assist Amazon’s human workers with tote recycling.

“Its dimension and form are effectively fitted to buildings which are designed for people, and we consider that there’s a massive alternative to scale a cell manipulator answer, comparable to Digit, which might work collaboratively with workers,” Amazon mentioned.

GXO Logistics, the world’s largest pure-play contract logistics supplier, can also be testing Digit. It’s conducting a proof-of-concept pilot with Digit at Spanx’s facility in Flowery Department, Ga. Within the pilot, Digit is shifting totes off of autonomous cell robots (AMRs) and onto a conveyor. The AMRs, Chucks from 6 River Programs, convey the packed totes to a switch station. Digit then makes use of its notion system to detect the AMR has arrived.

“Lots of prospects have dynamic environments, and it’s laborious to foretell what volumes will probably be throughout peak season, not to mention Q2 subsequent 12 months,” Adrian Stoch, GXO’s chief automation officer, not too long ago instructed The Robotic Report. “How a lot quantity will we obtain within the completely different elements of the warehouse? That’s the place having flexibility is important. Even when that’s predictable, we will doubtlessly have Digit help the e-commerce aspect of the enterprise on Black Friday after which have it stroll to a different a part of the warehouse on any given day.”

Amazon, Disney, Teradyne, Medtronic to additionally keynote Robotics Summit

The Robotics Summit & Expo will function greater than 60 audio system and 40-plus technical periods. Different keynote audio system will embody:

  • Tye Brady, chief technologist, Amazon Robotics
  • Ujjwal Kumar, President, Teradyne Robotics
  • Disney’s Moritz Baecher, Tony Dohi, Morgan Pope
  • Medtronic demoing a distant robotic-assisted surgical system

You possibly can view the whole Robotics Summit agenda right here. Audio system are nonetheless being added. Now in its fifth 12 months, this would be the largest Robotics Summit ever. There will probably be greater than 150 exhibitors, networking alternatives, together with the inaugural RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards Gala and a Girls in Robotics breakfast, in addition to a profession truthful, an engineering theater, startup showcases and extra!

Registration is now open for the occasion. Register by March 8 to reap the benefits of early hen pricing.

A Digit humanoid from Agility Robotics carrying a tote inside of a warehouse.

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