Agility Robotics pronounces government strikes to strengthen Digit commercialization

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Digit on the 2024 Robotics Summit & Expo. Credit score: Eugene Demaitre

Agility Robotics right now introduced modifications to its government group because it productizes and commercializes its Digit humanoid robotic. The corporate added skilled know-how chief Daniel Diez as chief technique officer.

Agility Robotics additionally mentioned that Melonee Sensible is transferring from chief know-how officer to the position of chief product officer (CPO). As well as, Pras Velagapudi is entering into the position of CTO, efficient instantly. 

“As the one firm with a humanoid robotic already delivering helpful work to prospects, Agility is shaping the way forward for labor,” said Peggy Johnson, CEO of Agility Robotics. “At present, we’re strengthening our distinctive management group to leap on this huge market alternative.”

“Daniel brings an impressive observe file of main enterprise transformation and company technique, and in terms of deploying fleet-level robotics options in logistics and manufacturing operations, Melonee’s and Pras’s technical, product, and business expertise are unbeatable,” she added. “I’m thrilled to have their professional management in these new and expanded roles as we put together for business scale.”

Corvallis, Ore.-based Agility Robotics mentioned its mission is “to construct robotic companions that increase the human workforce, finally enabling people to be extra human.” The firm described Digit as a “bipedal cellular manipulation robotic” (MMR) and as “the primary multi-purpose, human-centric robotic that’s made for work.” The system has been in trials for logistics duties at Amazon and GXO Logistics.

Jonathan Hurst, co-founder and chief robotic officer of Agility Robotics, delivered a keynote handle in regards to the technical challenges of constructing humanoids on the Robotics Summit & Expo earlier this month. Digit gained the inaugural RBR50 Robotic of the Yr Award.

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Sensible strikes from CTO to chief product officer

Agility Robotics mentioned that, since becoming a member of it as CTO in Could 2023, Sensible has reworked how the corporate approaches product improvement because it prepares to deliver its merchandise to market at scale. Along with main Agility’s engineering and know-how efforts, Sensible created and led the group that conceived, constructed, and launched Agility Arc, a cloud platform for deploying and managing fleets of Digits with different automation.

Melonee Sensible, chief product officer, Agility Robotics

Within the expanded position of CPO, Sensible will proceed to guide Agility’s engineering group along with the newly fashioned product group. 

Sensible has years of expertise within the robotics trade. Previous to becoming a member of Agility in 2023, she was the vp of robotics automation at Zebra Applied sciences. Earlier than that, Sensible was CEO of Fetch Robotics till its acquisition by Zebra in 2021.

Beforehand, Sensible was the second worker at Willow Storage, the place she led a group of engineers growing next-generation robotic {hardware} and software program, together with the Robotic Working System (ROS), the PR2, and TurtleBot. Sensible serves as a robotics board member for the Affiliation for Advancing Automation (A3).

All through her profession, Sensible has acquired many accolades and awards together with the MIT Know-how Evaluation TR35, Provide & Demand Chain Government’s 2021 Provide Chain Lady of the Yr, the 2022 Engelberger Award, and as certainly one of “eight CEOs altering the way in which we work” by Enterprise Insider.

Sensible acquired a B.S. in mechanical engineering and physics engineering and an M.S. in mechanical engineering from the College of Illinois.

Velagapudi turns into Agility CTO

“Within the yr since he joined Agility, Velagapudi has galvanized the corporate’s AI technique and proven repeated breakthroughs in utilizing AI to speed up Digit’s business capabilities,” mentioned the corporate. “As CTO, he’ll proceed to concentrate on pragmatic product-relevant improvements, operationalizing the corporate’s analysis and improvement efforts, and exploring new applied sciences, with an emphasis on making use of trendy and rising AI to allow business scale.”

Pras Velagapudi, CTO, Agility Robotics

Velagapudi has a long time of expertise in robotics planning and management, in addition to in creating and deploying robots into house, industrial, and outside environments. Earlier than becoming a member of Agility as vp of innovation and chief architect in 2023, he was a vp of engineering and chief architect of cellular robotics at Berkshire Gray, deploying fleets of lots of of robots to logistics purposes.

As well as, Velagapudi is co-founder of Platypus, a low-cost Android-based fleet infrastructure for small autonomous robotic boats to gather environmental knowledge on our bodies of water. Previous to that, he led electrical methods design and engineering at RedZone Robotics, a subterranean pipe-inspection robotic supplier.

Velagapudi acquired his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon College, the place he additionally served as adjunct school and venture scientist for a few years. 

Daniel Diez to set go-to-market technique

As chief technique officer, Diez is accountable for setting Agility’s total enterprise and go-to-market technique, working carefully with Johnson, mentioned the corporate. On this position, he can even lead all advertising and marketing and communications efforts to construct the corporate’s repute and develop consciousness and demand for Digit as the corporate enters its subsequent section of economic development. 

Daniel Diez, chief technique officer, Agility Robotics

Diez joins Agility from Magic Leap, the place he led its transformation from a client know-how startup to an enterprise know-how firm. He was accountable for the business launch of Magic Leap 2.

Most not too long ago, Diez served as chief business officer at Magic Leap, overseeing enterprise improvement, gross sales, buyer expertise, ecosystem options, developer relations, advertising and marketing, model, communications, public affairs, and authorities relations. He beforehand held the roles of chief transformation officer and chief advertising and marketing officer at Magic Leap. 

Previous to becoming a member of Magic Leap, Diez served as chief advertising and marketing officer and head of product at Remodel Manufacturers, the proprietor of the Kenmore equipment model. Earlier than that, he was the worldwide chief advertising and marketing officer for R/GA, a world advertising and marketing and innovation company, and he helped lead the corporate’s transformation from a digital advertising and marketing company to a world promoting and model transformation powerhouse. 

All through his profession, Diez has been an advocate for company citizenship and his ardour for creating constructive change extends past the world of enterprise. He serves on the board of the LGBT Neighborhood Middle in New York and has beforehand served as a professional bono advertising and marketing and communications advisor for non-profit organizations together with the Advert Council and the Human Rights Marketing campaign.