Rethink Robotics has given the public a peek at the one-armed "collaborative" robot Sawyer.

The robot is designed to execute machine tending and perform other tasks that have been difficult to assign to traditional commercial robots.

The robot is an improvement on Baxter, which was dubbed the first "safe, interactive, affordable automation." Sawyer has many of the same features, including a recognizable "face" screen and a train-by-demonstration user interface, but operates with a smaller footprint and higher task precision. Baxter and Sawyer are believed to have the ability to tackle an impressive 90 percent of manufacturing tasks that cannot be assigned to modern industrial robots

"With Baxter, we introduced the concept of robots and people working together on the plant floor," said Rethink Robotics President and CEO Scott Eckert. "With Sawyer, we have taken that relationship to the next level, with a high performance robot that opens the door for many new applications that have never been good candidates for automation. As we continue to redefine this industry, we also continue to give manufacturers new ways of adding efficiency and flexibility into their operations."

Sawyer weighs only 42 pounds and boasts 7 degrees of freedom and about a 3-foot reach. It has high-resolution force sensing that allows it to "feel" its way around mechanical parts. Its embedded vision system is linked with a Robot Positioning System that allows it to re-orient itself.

Sawyer will cost about $29,000 and will initially be available in North America, Europe, China and Japan most likely sometime next year.

"Flexible automation that addresses shrinking product lifecycles and helps companies align with consumer trends is a critical technology initiative for manufacturers," said John Dulchinos, vice president of digital manufacturing at Jabil. "Rethink Robotics continues to lead the way in defining how workers and machines can coexist to leverage the strengths of each, and optimize productivity for all."

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