How Rethink Robotics built its new Baxter robot worker | IEEE Spectrum

by Andra Keay

19 September 2012

share this:

Like others who track robotics, we’d heard the rumors: Rethink was focusing on manufacturing; its robots would be so inexpensive every factory would be able to afford one; the robots would help make workers more efficient and American factories competitive again.

Evan Ackerman provides insights into the construction of Baxter, and how that leads to manufacturing jobs staying in the USA. And if Baxter is ‘Made in the USA’ then we may see the start of the robots manufacturing robots industry. To date, most robots are made by hand, even the Aldebaran Nao. Increase in production will create increased demand for manufacturing robots… a lovely circle!
See on m.spectrum.ieee.org

tags: Baxter, IEEE Spectrum, Rethink Robotics

Andra Keay is the Managing Director of Silicon Valley Robotics, founder of Women in Robotics and is a mentor, investor and advisor to startups, accelerators and think tanks, with a strong interest in commercializing socially positive robotics and AI.

How Rethink Robotics built its new Baxter robot worker | IEEE Spectrum

Related posts :

Researchers are teaching robots to walk on Mars from the sand of New Mexico

Engineering fantasy into reality

RoboCup@Work League: Interview with Christoph Steup

Interview with Haimin Hu: Game-theoretic integration of safety, interaction and learning for human-centered autonomy

AIhub coffee corner: Agentic AI

Interview with Kate Candon: Leveraging explicit and implicit feedback in human-robot interactions

#RoboCup2025: social media round-up part 2

#RoboCup2025: social media round-up 1

↑

Would you like to learn how to tell impactful stories about your robot or AI system?