The Pioneer Of Smart and Collaborative Robots: Rethink Robotics

“Our mission is to make robotics more accessible, usable and practical than they’ve ever been before. We’re here to Rethink Robotics. We’re redefining automation. And we want to help you rethink what’s possible on your factory floor.”

Back in the 2000s, a skillful mind, Rodney Brooks was producing the Roomba vacuum at iRobot and there he saw first-hand how challenging and inefficient the manufacturing process could be, with so many manual processes. So, by the end of that decade, Rodney founded Rethink Robotics, with the intent of providing an entirely new type of automation to manufacturers. One that was safe to work next to without cages, easily trained by non-engineers, flexible enough to move quickly from job to job, and affordable for companies of all sizes.

That vision was realized in 2012 when Rethink Robotics ushered in the new age of collaborative robots, with the introduction of Baxter. Before Baxter, people and robots did not work side by side. Manufacturing robots were kept behind cages, programmed by highly paid specialists, and were purchased for a single purpose only. Rethink changed all of that. For the first time, manufacturers had a cost-effective and easily deployed solution. And the market had a new category of automation: collaborative robots.

Later in 2015, the company expanded the vision with the introduction of Sawyer, a smaller, faster robot designed for high precision tasks. Best of all, it continues to deliver on that vision with frequent upgrades to the one-of-a-kind Intera software. Rethink Robotics’ unique combination of hardware and software enables the easiest train-by-demonstration functionality in the industry and reduces the time it takes to deploy the robots.

The Leader Of Industrial Automation

Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Rethink Robotics today is a new kind of Robotics Company that creates the new kind of manufacturing robot.

Industrial automation has become a priority for manufacturers around the world, as labor issues and competitive pressures drive change. With the skyrocketing competition, it has become the need of the hour for companies to think out of the box and come up with something that can change how robotics used to work. And Rethink’s advanced collaborative robot technology that offers a different approach to automation with a fully integrated robotic solution driven by the revolutionary Intera software platform is leading the way.

Say Hi to the Rethink Innovations

Collaborative robots are safe to be around, they require a much smaller footprint, and are inexpensive enough to provide a rapid return on investment. They are the solution of choice for manufacturers looking to boost productivity and quality in their operations. An industry that once looked to automation for volume production is now seeking flexibility and Rethink Robotics is providing the best robotic solutions to stay strong in the market.

Intera 5: Intera 5 is Rethink Robotics’ revolutionary robotic software platform with a unique approach to industrial automation. This software innovation drive manufacturing productivity by providing increased functionality and capabilities through frequent software releases for the life of the robot. Smart technology. Wise investment.

Sawyer: Sawyer is the revolutionary collaborative robot designed to execute tasks that have been impractical to automate with traditional industrial robots. It is a high-performance collaborative robot that gives manufacturers the best automation they need while maintaining the flexibility, safety, and affordability synonymous with the Rethink brand.

Sawyer features a 7 degree of freedom robot arm with a 1260 mm reach that maneuvers into tight spaces and operates in work cells designed for humans. Built-in force sensing capabilities allow it to make adaptive decisions as tasks run, enabling Sawyer to work precisely (+/- .1 mm), while operating safely next to people.

ClickSmart Plate: The ClickSmart Plate is the cornerstone of the ClickSmart family – it’s quick release mechanism that let swap end-effectors in seconds, without using any tools. Embedded sensors store the configuration of the connected end-effector when the ClickSmart Plate is attached to a Sawyer collaborative robot. It immediately recognizes the type of end-effector and knows how to control it.

ClickSmart Gripper Kits contain all the components one needs to quickly build and customize gripping solutions for a wide range of tasks.

Baxter: For decades, manufacturers have had very few cost-effective options for low volume, high mix production jobs. Then came Baxter – the first safe, flexible, affordable alternative to fixed automation. Baxter is a proven industrial automation solution for a wide range of tasks – from line loading and machine tending to package and material handling.

Redesigning The Robotic Space

Many companies call their robots collaborative. But Rethink Robotics’ smart, collaborative robots offer a different approach to automation with a fully integrated robotic solution. Rethink Robotics is changing the entire phiz of Robotics. It is redefining the speed with which manufacturers can effectively deploy and use automation.

Greet The Chieftain

Scott Eckert is the President and CEO of Rethink Robotics. He joined Rethink Robotics as its CEO in 2010. Prior to joining Rethink, Scott was President and CEO of Motion Computing, the leading provider of tablet PCs for vertical markets, taking the company from a startup to #1 in the world in its category. Prior to Motion Computing, Scott was an executive at Dell, Inc. and widely known as the founder and general manager of Dell’s worldwide Internet business unit. Scott was also Managing Director for Dell’s Home and Small Business Division in the UK and Ireland, one of the company’s largest international business units. Before entering the technology industry, Scott spent a number of years in strategy consulting and as part of a turnaround team in the consumer product industry.

Scott holds a BA in Quantitative Economics from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Robotic Industries Association (RIA).

“We know what it takes to bring new product categories to market. And manufacturing high-quality, high-volume products is in our DNA. We are committed to building a strong company that values employees and strives for our customers’ success.”