Amazon begins testing Agility's Digit robot for warehouse work

For anyone who has not seen an automated grocery store distribution center: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;m.youtube.com&#x2F;watch?v=ssZ_8cqfBlE">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;m.youtube.com&#x2F;watch?v=ssZ_8cqfBlE</a>

Amazon would love nothing more than to fully automate its warehouses. It&#x27;s already reached &#x27;manna&#x27; levels of automated worker management (arguably far more draconian than the author of the short story envisioned)<p>The recent advances I&#x27;ve seen in robotics mirror LLMs to a lesser extent. I fear we&#x27;re on the precipice of exponential change on the S curve here.

The robots in action: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.youtube.com&#x2F;watch?v=wapeP93Q5ng">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.youtube.com&#x2F;watch?v=wapeP93Q5ng</a>

Is it possible to go from linux administrator into something related to robotics without a major amount of training? or is that leap more of a go back to school for four years type deal?

Their website would suggest they are prioritize hardware over software.<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;agilityrobotics.com&#x2F;" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;agilityrobotics.com&#x2F;</a><p>Countless details show a lack of polish, finish, or thoughtfulness. As an example the looped video, arguably the main feature, is clipped in portrait mode and is rendered (literally and figuratively) underwealming. It’s viewable in landscape.<p>Perhaps it’s just an intense focus on the end product instead of external marketing. I can’t help but wonder if there’s an eye for excellence in this org.<p>No question, humanoid robots are coming. If this startup can’t stand up a decent website after an Amazon investment and an Amazon PR push, did they rake the time to through safety concerns (local shut off, etc)?

(Utterly unfamiliar with the space)<p>At least in the demo video, the robot is moving slowly enough to where I would say it waddles.<p>What seems odd is the form factor: why does it have to be bipedal?<p>Moving boxes and other things around a warehouse seems like it would benefit from a wheeled (omniwheels, ideally?) base, multiple manipulators, and a whole bunch of machine vision stuff.

Amazon will not use these digit robots at scale in the next 10 years.<p>It&#x27;s just a PR exercise.<p>Like their Amazon Prime drone deliveries that never happened on mass.