FORD

Meet the ''Digit'', your new delivery

The trick in the business world is to anticipate the future, so there is no shortage of companies that are dedicated to figuring out how to handle the delivery of tomorrow's orders. From what we buy online to the knitted sweater that grandmother sends us every birthday, through pizza, most agree with a basic principle: it will be the autonomous vehicles to provide this service. Still, it remains to be decided who will ensure the transport in those last meters, which separate the obviously unmanned delivery van from the door of the house, be it a villa or a flat on the 10th floor.
The issue seems out of date. But there it is: it is fundamental to anticipate future needs. That's why Agility Robotics and Ford came together to find a solution. And so Digit was born, a robot with humanoid shapes, able to move on any type of surface, be it flat or inclined, as well as going up and down stairs.
Built with lightweight materials, the Digit can carry up to 18 kg in its "arms", being able to carry the order to the customer's door and eventually ring the bell. Once the operation is finished, Digit returns to the truck and, as it is designed to be able to fold on itself, it can settle in its own place, occupying a minimum of space. This even allows for multiple digits in each distribution van.
The robot is always managed by the processor of the vehicle, having a LiDAR and two cameras to move to the customer's door and return. If it finds any difficulty, the Digit will resort to the "brain" with artificial intelligence of the vehicle to overcome the problem. If it sounds like a bit of science fiction, it's probably because ...

Autonews