ANYbotics has launched ANYmal X, which it describes as the world’s first legged inspection robot designed for explosive atmospheres, marking a milestone in the deployment of physical AI across hazardous industrial environments.

Built for the oil, gas and chemical sectors, the robot is engineered to meet stringent explosion-protection requirements and is now being delivered to industry leaders, including Equinor and DSM-Firmenich.

The robot combines autonomous navigation, industrial artificial intelligence and advanced inspection sensors to conduct routine monitoring in areas traditionally inaccessible to conventional robots.

Its launch follows four years of engineering development and more than ten patents, according to the company.

“Four years of pioneering engineering with more than ten patents went into ANYmal X,” says Péter Fankhauser, Co-Founder and CEO of ANYbotics. “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, major energy and chemical companies, 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.

Feedback from these deployments helped refine the industrial-grade system now entering customer operations.

Automating Inspections in Hazardous Environments

The global oil, gas and chemical sector represents a significant market for autonomous inspection, with the combined market valued at $102 billion.

Manual inspections require skilled personnel to enter hazardous zones equipped with protective equipment, handheld gas detectors and entry permits.

These procedures can be costly and expose workers to operational risks.

ANYmal X is designed to automate high-risk inspection rounds without requiring modifications to existing facilities.

Its legged mobility allows it to navigate complex industrial infrastructure, including steep staircases and narrow walkways, while monitoring critical equipment such as pumps, compressors, valves and piping.

Integrated thermal, visual, acoustic and gas sensors detect potential issues, including overheating, leaks, abnormal noise and equipment wear.

Inspection readings are recorded against individual assets, providing reliability engineers with consistent data to monitor equipment condition and identify early warning signs before failures lead to costly shutdowns.

According to figures cited by ANYbotics, preventable downtime costs the world's 500 largest companies approximately $1.4 trillion annually.

 In the oil and gas sector, an hour of unplanned downtime can cost up to $500,000, according to Siemens. The US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) also reports that extraction workers face a fatality rate seven times the national average.

Beyond worker safety and reduced downtime, the robot generates repeatable inspection data that can improve digital facility models, including digital twins, helping organisations strengthen maintenance planning and asset management.

Meeting Explosion-Protection Standards

Developing a mobile robot for explosive atmospheres presents substantial engineering challenges. Equipment operating in these environments must be designed and independently certified to prevent ignition, even when components fail.

The principal standards include ATEX in Europe and IECEx internationally, both of which ANYmal X has been built to meet.

Unlike fixed equipment, which can use heavy protective enclosures or restricted electrical energy, a walking robot requires powerful motors, a high-capacity battery, exposed sensors and sufficient agility to navigate industrial facilities.

“We asked one question over and over: which credible event in the life of a walking robot could create an ignition source, and how do we make sure it never does?” says Andrea Corda, CTO of ANYbotics. “Working closely with the certification bodies, we answered that question component by component. The result is a new explosion-protection approach for an entire class of autonomous mobile robots.”

ANYbotics says the robot incorporates multiple safeguards, including nitrogen-filled sealed chambers for its AI computer and inspection equipment, flameproof casings for all 12 leg actuators and the battery, conductive feet for grounding, and automatic temperature monitoring and cutoffs.

Charging and data connections use energy barriers to prevent ignition risks in hazardous areas.

Onboard software monitors the robot before, during and after missions. Its protective systems are also tested against shock, vibration, corrosion, solar radiation and salt mist to ensure durability in demanding industrial conditions.

End-to-End Inspection and Digital Integration

ANYmal X operates within ANYbotics’ broader inspection solution, supported by Shift™, the company's operations platform.

The software schedules missions, organises findings by asset and tracks changes over time, integrating inspection data with existing maintenance systems, including SAP, Yokogawa and SLB.

The company says the system is developed and operated under ISO 27001 information-security standards.

Thierry Obédé, Chief Revenue Officer at ANYbotics, highlights the importance of combining certification with an integrated operational platform.

“A certified robot is only the entry ticket for inspecting oil, gas, and chemicals facilities. ANYmal X is a complete end-to-end inspection solution built for performance, safety, and security. It combines autonomous navigation, industrial AI for data interpretation, and integrations that convert findings directly into maintenance work orders. Today, more than 50 power, metals, and materials customers use this system to run over 120,000 autonomous inspections every month.”

“Plants run on process data from their control systems and business data from their ERP,” adds Obédé. “The third source, what operators see, hear and measure on their rounds, has always been manual. ANYmal X now captures it autonomously, even inside hazardous areas, and we stand behind the whole chain, from the robot on site to the work order in the maintenance system.”

With commercial deliveries underway, ANYbotics aims to extend autonomous inspection into hazardous industrial zones, combining physical AI, explosion-protected robotics and digital maintenance integration to improve operational safety, equipment reliability and efficiency. -OGN/ TradeArabia News Service