Baxter is an industrial, behavior-based robot specifically designed to be more adaptable and easier to use than traditional industrial robots. It has arms and a “face” that shows when it is concentrating, surprised, asleep, or even sad. With its sensors, it can easily adapt to its environment, making it safer around humans.

Although it has been discontinued, Baxter can still be found in many labs demonstrating its capabilities. It opened new horizons as a “cobot” (collaborative robot) by demonstrating how humans and robots can work together.  The principles behind its design continue to influence the development of new robots, especially those used within collaborative work environments. In the coming decades, advanced robots will increasingly be part of how people live, work, and play.