ANYbotics AG has commenced shipments of its ANYmal X robot, the first legged machine engineered for use in explosive environments. The robot is designed to patrol hazardous industrial sites, such as oil, gas, and chemical plants, where traditional equipment risks triggering sparks or fires.
The development of the platform spanned four years and involved over ten patents. The company focused on isolating electrical components and managing heat sources to ensure the robot meets strict safety standards for hazardous atmospheres, while maintaining its agility and payload capacity.
Initial shipments are directed to major industry players, including Equinor ASA and DSM-Firmenich AG. These companies, alongside others like BP, Shell, and BASF, participated in an early access program starting in 2023 to refine the robot through testing at hundreds of facilities.
The market for inspection robotics in the oil and gas sector is estimated to be worth between $800 million and $1 billion annually. ANYbotics notes that undetected equipment failures cause significant global downtime, with costs reaching approximately $1.4 trillion per year.
Currently, more than 50 customers in the power, metals, and materials sectors utilize ANYbotics systems. These users perform over 120,000 autonomous inspections every month across their industrial operations.
