Baxter Research Robot finds its way into leading Universities
The Baxter Research Robot is currently being used in leading Universities throughout the United Kingdom & Europe, with numerous other institutions already in advanced talks to include the Baxter Research Robot within their study programmes for the 2014/15 academic year.
Active8 Robots, Rethink Robotics’ UK and European partner, reports that uptake within this region is increasing with Universities now creating new bespoke courses around the Baxter Research Robot for students.
Professor Vic Grout and his team at Glyndŵr University hope that by incorporating the innovative Baxter Research Robot, it will allow them to focus on specific application development goals, including human-robot interaction studies, collaborative robotics, planning, manipulation, control, and perception as part of their Masters’ qualification.
Antony Lovedale, Managing Director for Active8 Robots, explains why Universities in the UK are so keen to get involved with Baxter. “There has long been a need within Universities for a ‘Next Generation’ robot, whether for research or course provision. Now there is one solution which fits both purposes, the Baxter Research Robot. No longer are resources ring-fenced for one specific department or field, with the ROS (Robot Operating System) and Baxter’s unique design, both roles can be fulfilled by one in-expensive package. Coupled with his in-built safety features and cage-less requirement, interaction is much more ‘hands on’ and user friendly.”
Baxter Opens a Research Center
A Baxter Research Robot recently cut the ribbon at the new £4.3 million Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) National Facility for Innovative Robotic Systems at Leeds University. The EPSRC have included Baxter within their new research facility, further endorsing Baxter as a robot for the future, now!
Researchers are increasingly keen to get their hands on Baxter as there is now a reliable, implementable platform from which to transfer computer generated modelling to provide proven solutions to an ever increasing variety of problems. One such project now being undertaken in the USA is in the field of Ebola research. Researchers at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute are trying to use robotic automation to help aid workers with routine handling procedures to reduce contamination and risk to health.
Baxter Research Robot Testimonials
“…with Baxter there is a good simulator, a physical robot and easy to access public libraries means it’s relatively low cost for us to get a robotics student up to a sufficient level quickly” – Prof. Subramanian Ramamoorthy, The University of Edinburgh School of Informatics
“Baxter is a good system for my work and was chosen because of his compliant joints, the excellent hardware and is good value compared to other systems.” – Peidong Liang, Plymouth University, PhD Student
“You can use Baxter without doing a lot of reading first, so it’s very practical and “hands-on” which both the staff and students like.” – Nick Weldin, Middlesex University London, Technical Tutor
“As Baxter is a safe robot, and requires no cage, we can have him in the classroom alongside the students and not have to worry about accidents.” – Dr Michael Walters, University of Hertfordshire
Universities and manufacturing research institutions currently using Baxter:
For more information on how Universities and research institutions are using Baxter, please view our Baxter Robot Academic Research case studies.
