Legged robot for explosive atmospheres

According to Péter Fankhauser, co-founder and CEO of ANYbotics: “Four years of pioneering engineering with more than ten patents went into ANYmal X. Many experts thought a legged robot could never be made safe for explosive atmospheres. Oil, gas and chemical plants are among the most hazardous and most costly places to operate. That makes them the prime case for physical and industrial AI, yet until now the areas that matter most were off-limits to robots like ours. That changes today.”

Since 2023, energy and chemical businesses including BP, Equinor, Shell, PETRONAS, Petrobras, BASF, and SLB have tested ANYmal X across hundreds of onshore and offshore missions through ANYbotics’ Early Access Program. Their hands-on feedback helped to refine the field-tested, industrial-grade robot now being delivered to customers. Each robot will operate as part of ANYbotics’ end-to-end inspection solution, combining advanced autonomy and industrial AI with seamless integration into their existing plant maintenance software.

ANYmal X automates high-risk inspection rounds without requiring any facility modifications, navigating complex industrial environments such as steep stairs and narrow walkways. Its integrated thermal, visual, acoustic, and gas sensors detect overheating, leaks, abnormal noise, and equipment wear, logging every reading directly to its corresponding asset. This gives reliability engineers a standardised baseline to track asset health over time, enabling teams to spot early signs of wear and intervene before minor issues escalate into costly plant shutdowns.

ANYmal X was engineered from the ground up to comply with the oil, gas, and chemical sectors’ strictest safety standards. ANYbotics performed a comprehensive ignition-risk assessment for ANYmal X’s service life and implemented safeguards for each potential ignition source. Each of its components has been designed to minimize ignition risk. ANYmal X’s AI computer and inspection equipment are enclosed in nitrogen-filled, sealed chambers. Non-metallic shells insulate metallic components, conductive feet provide grounding, and automatic cutoffs monitor temperature. All twelve leg actuators and its battery are protected by flameproof casings. Charging and data transmission use energy barriers, so no connection is exposed to hazardous areas. ANYmal X’s onboard software monitors the robot’s condition before, during, and after each mission. It also tests durability against shock, vibration, corrosion, solar radiation, and salt mist to ensure all protective measures function properly in normal use.

anybotics.com/robotics/anymal-x