ANYbotics ANYmal
ANYbotics ANYmal is ** - A quadruped robot from ANYbotics designed for inspection tasks in industrial environments, including oil, gas, and mining facilities.
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What is ANYbotics ANYmal?
ANYbotics ANYmal is ANYmal is an autonomous quadruped (four-legged) robotic inspection solution designed for complex industrial facilities and harsh environments. Built by ANYbotics, a Swiss company spun out of ETH Zurich, ANYmal combines AI-based mobility with integrated high-quality sensors to perform fully autonomous inspections without human intervention. The robot navigates multi-floor plants, climbs stairs (including open grated stairs), crawls through low spaces, and operates on wet, bumpy, or slippery terrain with IP67 dust and water protection for all-weather operation.
ANYbotics ANYmal pricing
Pricing model: Freemium
ANYbotics offers two payment models: (1) One-off purchase of the robot plus recurring software license fees, with the robot priced at approximately USD 150,000–250,000; (2) Robot-as-a-service model starting at CHF 8,500 (€8,736) per month. The package includes the robot, charger, docking station, ruggedized tablet for remote control, and transportation box. Data Navigator platform is included for transforming inspection data into insights. Custom pricing is available based on specific facility requirements - customers must contact ANYbotics for a custom offer covering exact needs, and on-site demonstrations can be arranged. No free tier is available.
ANYbotics ANYmal pros
- Fully autonomous operation without human intervention
- IP67 rated - dust and waterproof for all-weather operation
- Climbs industrial stairs including open grated stairs safely
- AI-based mobility navigates complex multi-floor facilities
- 90 minutes battery runtime with automatic docking recharge
- 20× optical zoom camera for clear long-distance inspections
- Thermal camera measures -40–550°C without physical contact
- Ultrasonic microphone detects acoustic measurements up to 384kHz
- 360° Lidar for precise localization and environment mapping
- Up to 10kg payload capacity for custom sensors
- Works with or without internet connectivity (WiFi & 4G/LTE built-in)
- 100 minutes for 70% quick charge, 3 hours full charge
- Detects gas leaks with optional acoustic imager customization
- Emergency stop button and safety handles for safe handling
- Integrates with enterprise systems via ANYmal API (gRPC-based)
- Crawls in low positions and navigates narrow spaces (600mm)
- 2km walking range per charge (1.24 miles)
- Rule-based logic for adaptive mission responses to anomalies
ANYbotics ANYmal cons
- High cost - approximately USD 150,000–250,000 for purchase
- No free tier - requires purchase or robot-as-a-service commitment
- Battery limited to 90-120 minutes per charge
- Operating temperature range limited to 0–40°C (32–104°F)
- Walking speed max 1.0 m/s (0.75 m/s normal)
- Requires custom deployment and waypoint setup for each facility
- Gas sensor payload limited to maximum 2 sensors
- Thermal camera range -10°C to +400°C on some models
- Robotic inspection may not replace all human inspection tasks
- Initial deployment requires facility mapping and mission planning
Frequently asked questions about ANYbotics ANYmal
What environments can ANYmal operate in?
ANYmal is designed for intricate industrial plants and demanding environments. It is IP67 rated (dust and waterproof) for all-weather operation, working on wet, bumpy, slippery terrain, metal, concrete, gratings, checkerboards, gravel, and dirty floors. It operates indoors and outdoors in rain, snow, wind, and dusty conditions. The robot navigates complex multi-floor facilities, climbs stairs (including open grated stairs with up to 45° angle), crawls through low positions, and works in narrow spaces as small as 600mm. Operating temperature range is 0–40°C (32–104°F).
How does ANYmal's autonomous navigation work?
ANYmal uses AI-based mobility with 360° Lidar, 6 depth cameras, and 2 optical tele-operation cameras for perception. It knows its absolute location with centimeter accuracy and follows the shortest path between waypoints to target 3D coordinates. The robot employs multiple collision avoidance modes including Stop & Go (stops before obstacles) and Obstacle Avoidance (reroutes around obstacles if space available). Once it maps an environment, it remembers every detail and dynamically plans the best route even without internet connection. It can automatically navigate to docking stations when battery is low and resume missions after charging.
What sensors come built into ANYmal?
ANYmal comes with a fully integrated turn-key inspection suite including: visual camera with 20× optical zoom (1080×1920 px FullHD, 15 FPS, up to 4K 30 FPS), thermal camera (-40–550°C temperature range), pan-tilt unit with high-range motion (+/- 90° vertical, +/- 165° horizontal), powerful LED spotlight (3790lm maximum), ultrasonic microphone (0–384kHz audible and ultrasonic frequencies), and 360° Lidar scanner for localization and reality capture. The robot also has 2× 8th Gen Intel Core i7 6-core CPUs with 16GB RAM total, 2× 240GB SSD, built-in WiFi 2.4/5GHz, and 4G LTE Cat.12.
Can ANYmal be customized for specific inspection needs?
Yes, ANYmal can carry up to 10kg additional payload and integrates with custom sensors for additional inspection requirements. Customization options include acoustic imagers designed to inspect gas leakages and partial discharge events, and up to two gas concentration sensors (compatible with Honeywell SensePoint and Drager PIR 3000) to detect gas presence. Gas sensors can detect combustible gases (LEL: CH4, C2H4, C3H8) and toxic gases (PPM: O2, CO, H2S, Cl, SO2, NO2, NH3). C++ plugins for inspection modules enable custom configuration and integration of custom payloads via ROS APIs.
How long does ANYmal's battery last and how does charging work?
ANYmal has 90 minutes of battery runtime per charge (some sources indicate 60-120 minutes depending on mission). Walking range is 2km (1.24 miles) per charge, with typical inspection missions covering up to 1.5km. The robot features automatic docking - it takes smart action at low battery status and connects to a docking station to recharge itself. Quick charge takes 100 minutes for 70% battery, and full charge takes 3 hours. The battery is swappable Li-ion (932.4 Wh, UN 38.3 certified). Range extension is possible by setting up multiple docking stations along routes for continuous autonomous operation.
What is Data Navigator and what does it do?
Data Navigator is ANYbotics' centralized platform that transforms ANYmal's inspection data into actionable insights. It helps teams monitor asset health, detect anomalies early, and optimize maintenance through an asset-centric approach that consolidates thermal, acoustic, visual, and gas readings. Key features include Anomaly Dashboard for instantly spotting issues, Comparison View to compare asset conditions over time, Trendline view to track performance deterioration, and Mission Scheduler to automate inspection workflows. The platform is web-based, intuitive, requires no specialized training, and supports flexible deployment (on-premise, cloud, or air-gapped). It integrates with enterprise systems like SAP and IBM.
How does ANYmal integrate with existing industrial systems?
ANYmal integrates via the ANYmal API, which is gRPC-based (Remote Procedure Call). The API enables real-time data streaming (acoustic, thermal, gas, visual inspection feedback), mission management (trigger, monitor, pause/resume/stop, modify pre-scheduled and click & act missions), and detailed feedback (robot pose, joint positions, location mapping, mission-critical data for post-mission analysis). Inspection results export to data portals, maintenance management systems, digital twins, or third-party data systems in standard file formats (JPG, WAV, E57, PLY, DAE). The API supports mission triggering, status monitoring, task progress tracking, connection status, and offline caching of inspection results.
Is ANYmal safe for hazardous or explosive environments?
The standard ANYmal is IP67 rated and compliant with FCC, CE, and Anatel standards, with hardware emergency stop and warning lights. For hazardous environments, ANYbotics offers ANYmal X, the world's first and only Ex-certified legged inspection robot. ANYmal X is ATEX & IECEx certified up to Zone 1 IIB, meaning it is intrinsically safe for use in explosive atmospheres where inflammable gases are likely to occur. It has a pressurized main body filled with inert nitrogen gas and revolutionary actuator design enabling ex-proof operations. ANYmal X is certified for Zone 1, Zone 2 operation and complies with CE directives for industrial deployment.
How is ANYmal deployed at a facility?
Deployment involves multiple approaches: Show & Go (manually guiding the robot through the plant and indicating inspection points), or importing existing CAD/BIM models to virtually set up inspection points, paths, and missions for realistic simulation before robot arrival. During deployment, navigation waypoints are generated for planning missions using the Operator GUI. Points can be added, edited, or removed later. Inspection points are defined as special navigation goals, and missions are set up using the Mission Editor with rule-based logic to react to anomalies. The Operator GUI enables mission scheduling, tele-operation, health monitoring, software configuration, and inspection report export. On-premise integrations can become operational within hours.
What industries and use cases is ANYmal designed for?
ANYmal is designed for industrial and commercial applications including offshore oil and gas inspection, chemical plants, mining operations, construction site monitoring, facility security patrols, power substations (high-voltage), and emergency response. Primary industries are Energy, Metals, Mining, Oil & Gas, and manufacturing. Use cases include routine condition monitoring, digitizing analog instruments (pressure gauges, indicators), detecting dangerous conditions (temperature anomalies, unusual vibrations via sound recording), checking equipment health for early warning signs, 3D environment scanning for structural change tracking, and continuous gas monitoring. Companies like W.R. Grace, RTE (power facility), ANDRÉ KUBITZKY (automation and robotics), Outokumpu, and DSM-Firmenich have deployed ANYmal for increased facility uptime and predictive maintenance.