Rethink Robotics · Industrial cobots

Baxter

A collaborative, anthropomorphic robot designed for safe human interaction in factories

Overview

Baxter was a dual-arm collaborative robot engineered for safe operation alongside human workers on factory floors. Its design prioritised ease of programming through physical guidance and featured a screen to communicate operational intent. A research variant offered a ROS-based software interface for academic use.

Specifications

Deployment Stage
Discontinued
Degrees of Freedom
14
Height
3 ft 1 in (~940 mm) without pedestal; 5 ft 10 in - 6 ft 3 in (~1778-1905 mm) with optional adjustable pedestal
Locomotion
Stationary
Payload Capacity
5 lb / 2.2 kg per arm, including end effector
Reach
1210 mm
Repeatability
5 mm
ROS Compatible
Yes
SDK Support
Yes
Sensors
Cameras, sonar, torque sensors
Weight
165 lb (~74.8 kg) without pedestal; 306 lb (~138.8 kg) with optional pedestal

Where it performs

  • Collaborative design allowed for safe operation alongside human workers.
  • Intuitive teaching method through direct physical arm guidance.
  • Research variant provided a ROS-based software interface for developers.

What to check before buying

  • This robot model is no longer in production, limiting new deployments.
  • Repeatability of 5 mm may be insufficient for high-precision tasks.
  • Payload capacity is relatively modest at 2.2 kg per arm.

Comparable platforms