Rethink Robotics Baxter price & specs

Q: Can Rethink Robotics Baxter be programmed?

Full SDK. Baxter Research Robot SDK: ROS with Python baxter_interface.

Rethink Robotics (USA) Rethink Robotics Baxter (1)

Rethink Robotics (USA) Rethink Robotics Baxter (2)

Was $22,000 (2012)

Discontinued · used/leftover onlyVia SSH / web / bridgeDual-armAnimated faceROS research editionHistoric

Possibly ≤ 1 weekShipping: Used market.

Remote control: A Linux laptop joins Baxter's ROS master over Ethernet and commands it via the Python baxter_interface library.

LEARN MORE (Wikipedia) ↗

Overview

Rodney Brooks' two-armed factory worker with a screen face, series elastic actuators and teach-by-demonstration programming, launched at a then-shocking $22,000. Commercial sales underwhelmed and production ended in 2018, but the research edition became a fixture in university labs for human-robot interaction and learning work.

Type: Robot arm · Industrial & legacy
Maker: Rethink Robotics (USA)
Released: 2012
Price: Was $22,000 (2012)
Status: Discontinued · used/leftover only
Best for: Professionals & labs
Programming: Full SDK

Price and shipping

Launch price including a year of software updates and warranty, per IEEE Spectrum.

Shipping: Used market. Discontinued in 2018. Used research units occasionally appear from university surplus and resellers, with no manufacturer support.

Specifications

Category	Robot arms · Industrial & legacy
Released	2012
Country	USA
Availability	Discontinued · used/leftover only
Sales	Over 1,000 Rethink Robotics units sold, mostly Baxter, by September 2015 (estimate) The Robot Report ↗
Programmability	Full SDK
Built-in autonomy	Task-level · Carries out multi-step jobs on its own, such as inspections, deliveries or chores
LLM support	Possible via SDK · No built-in LLM. Its SDK lets software on a computer control it.
MuJoCo simulation	Community model · Only third-party MuJoCo models, Menagerie has Sawyer but not Baxter. baxter-mujoco-playground ↗
NVIDIA Isaac simulation	Maker URDF only · Maker's baxter_common has the URDF, Isaac Sim ships Sawyer only. baxter_common ↗
Gazebo simulation	Official model · Maker's baxter_simulator provides the Gazebo simulation. baxter_simulator ↗
Best for	Professionals & labs
Vision sensors	Camera, Sonar / ultrasonic
Actuators	Unknown
Audio	No audio
Compute type	x86 PC (Intel / AMD)
Remote control	Via SSH / web / bridge
DOF	14 (7 per arm)
Reach	1,210 mm
Payload	2.2 kg (5 lb) incl. end effector
Repeatability	Not published
Weight	75 kg (165 lb) without pedestal, 139 kg (306 lb) with
Controller	Internal PC: Intel Core i7-3770, 4 GB RAM, 128 GB SSD, running ROS
Sensors	Head, left and right wrist cameras, IR range sensors in the hands, sonar in the head, series elastic actuators for force sensing
SDK	Baxter Research Robot SDK: ROS with Python `baxter_interface`

Common questions

How much does Rethink Robotics Baxter cost?

It sold for $22,000 (2012). Launch price including a year of software updates and warranty, per IEEE Spectrum.

Can Rethink Robotics Baxter be bought today?

It is discontinued, though used or leftover units still turn up. Discontinued in 2018. Used research units occasionally appear from university surplus and resellers, with no manufacturer support.