Rethink Robotics and Aldebaran both launch robots for research, teaching and custom development

by Frank Tobe

26 April 2013

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Rethink Robotics’ Baxter and Aldebaran Robotics’ NAO robots

Rethink Robotics just launched a version of their Baxter robot armed with a new SDK providing educators and researchers with almost limitless capabilities at an affordable cost. Using ROS and the new SDK, educators and researchers have the ability to share innovations and build on each other’s work and know-how. Read their press release.

Aldebaran Robotics’ launched their ASK NAO (Autism Solution for Kids) initiative for use in special education and for children with autism. More humanoid than Baxter, NAO is kid-sized, the new program provides educators with planning, monitoring and analyzing interactions to help set up lessons with NAO. Read the press release.

Although Baxter and NAO have different capabilities, the ability for researchers and educators to easily program applications – and share those apps with others – because of the open source nature of the software and SDK – is hoped by both companies (Aldebaran and Rethink) to accelerate new capabilities and apps for commercial use.

tags: c-Research-Innovation, education, human-robot interaction, open source, Research, Service Household Rehabilitation, Social aspect

Frank Tobe is the owner and publisher of The Robot Report, and is also a panel member for Robohub's Robotics by Invitation series.

Rethink Robotics and Aldebaran both launch robots for research, teaching and custom development

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