Agility Robotics on Thursday confirmed that it has laid off a “small quantity” of workers. The well-funded Oregon-based agency says the job loss is a part of a company-wide concentrate on commercialization efforts.
“As a part of Agility’s ongoing efforts to construction the corporate for achievement, we’ve got parted methods with a small variety of workers that weren’t central to core product growth and commercialization,” the corporate wrote in a press release supplied to TechCrunch. “On the identical time, we’re centered on assembly the extraordinary demand for bipedal robots throughout industrial use circumstances. Which means ramping up manufacturing of Digit whereas persevering with to win top-tier world clients, and including new roles that meet these targets. We imagine at the moment’s actions will enable us to concentrate on the areas that drive productization, commercialization, and manufacturing of Digit.”
Agility was forward of the economic humanoid curve with its bipedal robotic, Digit. The agency was spun out of analysis performed at Oregon State College. There’s been no lack of curiosity in its spectacular legged robots through the years. Ford was an early champion, as Agility explored Digit’s last-mile-delivery potential. In the end, nevertheless, these efforts have been positioned on the again burner, as the corporate shifted focus to understaffed warehouses.
There’s been no lack of funding for Agility’s efforts, regardless of a normal slowdown in investments in and adoption of robotic techniques, each of which will be seen as corrections following an enormous pandemic-fueled growth.
Two years in the past this month, the corporate introduced a $150 million Collection B. Amazon notably participated within the spherical by means of its Industrial Innovation Fund. The retail big subsequently introduced that it could pilot Digits as a part of its achievement heart workflow. The pilots have since ended, however neither firm has introduced subsequent steps.
A lot of different humanoid robotics companies have introduced their very own pilots in latest months, together with Determine with BMW and Apptronik with Mercedes. Final month at Modex, Agility showcased updates to Digit’s finish effectors designed particularly for automotive manufacturing workflows.
Agility has additionally made various high-profile hires over the previous yr, together with Magic Leap CEO Peggy Johnson becoming a member of as chief govt, Fetch CEO Melonee Smart as CTO and former Apple and Ford govt Aindrea Campbell in as COO.
The corporate’s jobs web page presently lists 5 open roles, largely centered on engineering and manufacturing.
