The new factory of an American robotics startup is nearing completion. Will the industry cycle begin?

On Monday (September 18), the start-up Agility Robotics announced that it will soon establish a robot manufacturing factory "RoboFab" in Oregon, USA, aiming to mass-produce its humanoid logistics warehousing robot "Digit"

According to a press release from Agility, the RoboFab factory covers an area of ​​70,000 square feet and is the world’s first humanoid robot factory. Initial construction began last year and is expected to open later this year. The company expects to have a production capacity of hundreds of Digit robots in the first year, and has the ability to expand to more than 10,000 units per year in the future

Company co-founder and CEO Damian Shelton said the opening of our factory marks an important moment in the history of robotics: the beginning of mass production of commercial humanoid robots

Agile also plans to hire more than 500 new employees at the factory and put Digit robots into use to be responsible for moving, loading and unloading of turnover boxes

It is understood that each Digit has two legs and two arms, about the same size as an adult, and is mainly used to perform repetitive tasks. Its competitors in the same field include Tesla’s “Optimus Prime” ( Optimus).

However, Agility Chief Operating Officer Aindrea Campbell told the media that the company’s focus is on the installation and testing of the first production line. “This is a very arduous process and is not something that can be completed with the flick of a switch.”

It is understood that Campbell has worked at Ford Motor Company for 16 years and Apple for 5 years. During his career at Apple, he served as senior director of iPad operations.

She said: "The turning point today is that we are building factories, installing production lines, and expanding capacity and scale in a way that has never been done before." Campbell said the company plans to have robots transport materials around the factory

Asked if he was concerned that its technology might "take people's jobs," Shelton said he expected Digit would allow manufacturing and logistics companies to meet growing demand, as hiring remains a challenge for many Workers chose to retire or leave the industry.

In April last year, Agility Robotics completed a US$150 million Series B financing, led by the well-known venture capital fund DCVC and Playground Global founded by the "Father of Android" Andy Rubin, and followed by the Amazon Industry Innovation Fund and others.

DCVC co-founder and managing partner Matt Ocko said Digit should be able to fill millions of job roles that humans don’t want. At the same time, Ocko emphasized that humanoid robots designed by Agility Robotics can work safely and autonomously as "robotic colleagues"

Editor/Fan Hui

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