Agility Robotics, the company behind bipedal Mobile Manipulation Robot (MMR) Digit, has appointed Peggy Johnson as its new Chief Executive Officer. Johnson’s appointment is part of Agility’s strategy to expand its commercial deployments, enhance its product range, and scale up the manufacturing of Digit.
Digit is a bipedal robot that performs practical work for clients and complies with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety standards. The deployment of Digit aligns with current labor shortages in logistics and manufacturing sectors. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports over one million unfilled logistics positions in the United States. Agility’s partners, including Amazon and GXO, are using Digit to improve productivity and safety in their operations.
Johnson joins Agility Robotics with a background in technology leadership. Her previous role was CEO of Magic Leap, where she shifted the company’s focus from consumer to enterprise markets. At Microsoft, she was involved in strategic partnerships and the launch of the M12 corporate venture fund. During her 24-year tenure at Qualcomm, she was part of the team that launched the BREW mobile app downloading platform.
In her new role, Johnson will focus on sales, strategic partnerships, fundraising, and scaling up robot production. Damion Shelton, co-founder of Agility Robotics and former CEO, will take on the role of President.
Johnson’s career includes recognition for her contributions to engineering and business. She was named the most powerful female engineer in the United States by Business Insider in 2017 and has been recognized by other industry publications for her leadership in technology.
Amazon and GXO have already implemented Digit in their operations. The upcoming opening of RoboFab, a robot manufacturing facility in Salem, Oregon, will further enhance Agility’s production capabilities, with plans to produce hundreds of Digit robots initially and potentially scale to more than 10,000 annually.
