The logistics industry may be ushering in a comprehensive revolution in the era of humanoid robots. GXO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE: GXO), one of the world's largest logistics service providers, recently celebrated two strategic milestones in its efforts in humanoid robotics, signing a multi-year deployment agreement with Agility Robotics and announcing an R&D collaboration with Apptronik. These initiatives mark a substantial step forward in the commercial application of humanoid robots in the field of logistics, which is expected to completely change the face of warehousing operations. GXO's strategic layout not only reflects its leading position in technological innovation, but also indicates the future development direction of automation and intelligence in the logistics industry. With the gradual implementation of these cutting-edge technologies, the logistics industry is expected to usher in a comprehensive breakthrough in efficiency improvement, cost reduction and employee working environment improvement.
▍Announced the signing of a multi-year humanoid robot deployment agreement with Agility Robotics
On June 27, local time, XGO and Agility Robotics, the creator of Digit(R), announced the signing of a multi-year agreement to begin deploying Digit in GXO's logistics operations.
The protocol was piloted in late 2023 as a proof-of-concept, and GXO says it is both the industry's first commercial deployment of a humanoid robot and the first robot-as-a-service (RaaS) deployment of a humanoid robot.
Adrian Stoch, Chief Automation Officer at GXO, said, "Building on the success of last year's breakthrough pilot of Agility, we are deploying a fully operational digital humanoid robot into a live warehouse environment. ”
"Our approach to R&D is to work with developers around the world to help them build and validate real-world use cases that improve the working environment for our employees while optimizing our customers' operations. Agility embraces this philosophy, and Digit is the perfect complement to work alongside our fulfillment center staff. We are excited to advance our partnership with this important milestone." ”
As part of the RaaS agreement, GXO is deploying Digit Robotics and Agility ArcTM, Agility's cloud automation platform for deploying and managing Digit fleets. Digit is a multi-purpose robot designed for logistics work, designed to work safely in human space and help with a variety of repetitive tasks.
Agility Arc is designed to streamline the deployment lifecycle, from facility mapping and workflow definition to operations management and troubleshooting.
At the SPANX facility, Agility's solutions integrate with existing automation, including autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). The Digit robot, which expands on last year's pilot, is assisting with repetitive tasks such as moving suitcases from the cobot and placing them on a conveyor belt, all orchestrated with Agility Arc. Under the RaaS agreement, the companies will continue to explore additional use cases and expand digital usage to meet needs throughout the deployment process.
"There will be many firsts in the humanoid robotics market in the coming years, but I'm very proud that Agility is the first to deploy actual humanoid robots at customer sites, generate revenue, and solve real-world businesses. Peggy Johnson, CEO of Agility Robotics, said. "Agility has always focused on the single metric that matters – delivering value to our customers by making Digit work – and this milestone deployment raises the bar across the industry."
Supply & Demand Chain Execution (SDCE) magazine recently named GXO the overall winner of the 2024 Top Supply Chain Project Awards for its groundbreaking Digit pilot project.
▍Announced a multi-phase R&D program with Apptronik
Recently, GXO announced that it is working with robot manufacturer Apptronik on an early proof-of-concept program. The partnership marks another milestone in GXO's strategy to advance humanoid innovation by partnering with developers to help shape their prototypes to meet the evolving needs of the logistics industry.
"We are excited to partner with Apptronik to develop their AI humanoid robot," said Adrian Stoch, Chief Automation Officer at GXO. "Apollo has tremendous potential for added value across the entire distribution center, including the most labor-intensive operational processes. Such robotics can reduce repetitive tasks and improve safety, while freeing up employees to focus on higher value-added activities. As we progress on our R&D journey with Apptronik, we will also evaluate its capabilities in other key use cases. ”
Apptronik's general-purpose industrial humanoid robot is 5 feet 8 inches tall, can carry 55 pounds, and runs on replaceable batteries that are configured to give it the longest run time of any humanoid robot. Powered by linear actuators, Apollo mimics the mechanics of human muscles and provides all-round mobility. Its unique force control architecture and flexible security zone boundaries enable Apollo to work safely around or directly with personnel. The two companies are working together to evaluate the overall performance of the robot in a lab setting to further fine-tune Apptronik's AI model, and then deploy the technology to a U.S. distribution center when ready.
Jeff Cardenas, Co-Founder and CEO of Apptronik, said, "Our mission is to build versatile robots that can work in real-world applications, from large, powerful movements such as transporting boxes and handbags to small, precise movements such as picking individual items or scanning barcodes. That's why we're committed to helping technology leader GXO optimize its logistics operations and create a safer, more attractive workplace for its employees with the help of Apollo. The two phases of this R&D program represent an important step in the launch of an innovative, scalable automation solution for GXO. ”
The humanoid partnership with Apptronik is the second collaboration with GXO, a leader in warehouse automation and a pioneer in AI-driven automation. In 2023, GXO's total warehouse automation increased by about 50% year-over-year and experimented with a wide range of new hardware and software solutions, including AI-powered robots and self-driving cars.
▍About GXO Logistics
GXO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE: GXO) is the world's largest pure-play contract logistics provider, benefiting from the rapid growth of e-commerce, automation, and outsourcing. GXO is committed to providing a diverse, world-class workplace for more than 130,000 team members in more than 970 facilities totaling approximately 200 million square feet. The company partners with the world's leading blue-chip companies to solve complex logistics challenges at scale and quickly with technologically advanced supply chain and e-commerce solutions. GXO is headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA.
▍关于Agility Robotics
Agility Robotics is headquartered in Corvallis, Oregon, with locations in Pittsburgh and Palo Alto, California. With a mission to "enhance the human workforce with robotics partners to make it more human," the company developed the Digit Bipedal Mobile Manipulation Robot (MMR).
▍ About Apptronik
Apptronik is a leader in the next generation of general-purpose robots designed to change the way humans live and work. Apollo is a humanoid robot that works alongside humans in an environment designed specifically for humans. Apptronik has designed and developed more than 10 general-purpose robots, including a large amount of NASA Valkyrie's work. The company was founded in 2016 at the University of Texas at Austin's human-centered robotics lab with a mission to improve society through innovative technology.