Rethink Robotics

Rethink Robotics
Formerly
 Heartland Robotics, Inc.[1]
Industry robotics
Founded 2008
Founders Rodney Brooks, Ann Whittaker
Defunct October 3, 2018
Number of employees
 100
Website rethinkrobotics.com

Rethink Robotics (formerly Heartland Robotics, Inc.[2]) was a robotics company co-founded by Rodney Brooks and Ann Whittaker in 2008.[3] Rethink robotics closed its doors on October 3, 2018.[4][5] It was located in Boston, Massachusetts.[3] Rethink Robotics was known for producing collaborative robots Sawyer and Baxter, robots used in factories that could be "taught" new skills rather than programmed.[6][7]

A major theme of Rethink Robotics' technologies was developing cost effective robots that can collaborate with human colleagues, while handling dangerous tasks so humans can focus on other tasks.[8]

Sawyer and Baxter collaborative robots
Sawyer and Baxter collaborative robots
Collaborative robot Sawyer on the factory floor at Tennplasco in Lafayette, TN.
Collaborative robot Sawyer on the factory floor at Tennplasco in Lafayette, TN.
At Harrison Manufacturing, a custom manufacturing company that specializes in injection molded plastics, collaborative robot Sawyer is working on the factory floor in the company's facility near Jackson, MS.
At Harrison Manufacturing, a custom manufacturing company that specializes in injection molded plastics, collaborative robot Sawyer is working on the factory floor in the company's facility near Jackson, MS.
Sawyer collaborative robots on the factory floor at Schramberg in Germany.
Sawyer collaborative robots on the factory floor at Schramberg in Germany.
Collaborative robot Sawyer can be trained by demonstration.
Collaborative robot Sawyer can be trained by demonstration.

History

Rethink Robotics was founded in 2008[3] as a startup aiming to create low-cost robots.[9] In 2012, they released the robot Baxter. In 2015, they released a smaller and more flexible counterpart to Baxter, Sawyer, that was designed to perform smaller, more detailed tasks.[10] In 2016, they released their collaborative robots (cobots) in Australia and New Zealand. These robots were designed to be easy to set up and work alongside, rather than replace, humans in factory environments.[8] Rethink Robotics went out of business on October 3, 2018.[11][12] Lack of market success was attributed to its closure.[13][14]

Rethink Robotics has won awards and has been an Edison Awards finalist.[15]

Products

References

  1. ↑ "Heartland Robotics, Inc. Changes Name to Rethink Robotics - Yahoo Finance". 2016-02-03. Retrieved 2018-10-05.
  2. ↑ "Heartland Robotics, Inc. Changes Name to Rethink Robotics - Yahoo Finance". 2016-02-03. Retrieved 2018-10-05.
  3. 1 2 3 "Company Overview of Rethink Robotics, Inc". Bloomberg Business. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  4. ↑ "Rethink Robotics Closes its Doors". The Robot Report. 2018-10-03. Retrieved 2018-10-05.
  5. ↑ "Pioneering creator of collaborative 'cobots' Rethink Robotics shuts down". The Verge. Retrieved 2018-10-05.
  6. ↑ "Baxter | Redefining Robotics and Manufacturing | Rethink Robotics". 2016-02-15. Retrieved 2018-10-05.
  7. ↑ Lizette Chapman (8 January 2015). "Rethink Robotics Raises $26.6M to Go Global With Its Robots". WSJ. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  8. 1 2 Claire Roberta (January 29, 2016). "Impact Robotics introduces next-gen "cobots" in Australia". Australian Manufacturing. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  9. ↑ Guizzo, Erico; Ackerman, Evan (September 18, 2012). "How Rethink Robotics Built Its New Baxter Robot Worker". IEEE Spectrum. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  10. ↑ Jack Linshi (March 19, 2015). "Meet Sawyer, a New Robot That Wants to Revolutionize Manufacturing". time.com. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  11. ↑ "Rethink Robotics Closes its Doors". The Robot Report. 2018-10-03. Retrieved 2018-10-05.
  12. ↑ "Pioneering creator of collaborative 'cobots' Rethink Robotics shuts down". The Verge. Retrieved 2018-10-05.
  13. ↑ "Rethink Robotics Closes its Doors". The Robot Report. 2018-10-03. Retrieved 2018-10-05.
  14. ↑ "Robot pioneer Rethink shuts down - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2018-10-05.
  15. ↑ John Duhamel; et al. (May 20, 2013). "Rethink Robotics -- Finding a Market" (PDF). Stanford University. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  16. ↑ "About Rethink Robotics | Building A Better Robot". Rethink Robotics. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
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