Sawyer robot for Research and Education

THE SAWYER ROBOT

By implementing ROS SDK to the Sawyer robot, Rethink Robotics brings a high performance platform to researchers and educators.

Equipped with both the ROS system and a SDK (Software Development Kit), Sawyer for research and education will pave the way to innovations in fields like machine learning, human-robot interaction, mechatronics and grasping, machine vision and manufacturing skills.

Sawyer for Research and Education

Sawyer for Research and Education has the same hardware as the manufacturing version of the robot. Sawyer is a one-armed robot with innovative technical features that was designed by the company Rethink Robotics.

This visionary organisation was founded by Rodney Brooks, Former MIT professor (26 years) and former director of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (10 years).

Having experience in both education and successful companies (iRobot, Rethink Robotics), Rodney Brooks developed a cutting edge robotics platform, that could be deployed on both manufacturing floors, universities classrooms or research labs.

Sawyer’s big brother, the Baxter robot, has been the platform of choice for many universities and institutes.

Baxter at the Brussels University: read the feedback of the Mechanical Engineering department Director.

The Research and Education version of the Sawyer robot differs from the Sawyer "manufacturing" version (available from HumaRobotics) only by the software.

If both versions use the exact same core software, the Research and Education version is programmable using a ROS SDK running on top of the core software. The manufacturing version of Sawyer uses the software Intera.

INTERA provides :

• An easy to use graphical user interface that staff on the factory floor can master quickly
• The platform allows Sawyer to be trained by demonstration, to enable non-technical personnel to create and modify programs as needed
• It also intelligently handles changing environments

SDK ROS is basically a set of software development tools that allows the creation of applications. With the ROS SDK:

• The user will be able to access all the sensors/actuators parameters
• To create an interaction between Sawyer and other ROS compatible devices
• Thanks to the ROS SDK, developers will also be able to create their own applications for Sawyer

A First Look at the ROS SDK Sawyer for Research and Education

Technical specifications for the Sawyer robot

Sawyer robot:

• Weight (without pedestal): 19 kg (42 lbs.)
• Degrees of Freedom: 7
• Maximum Reach: 1260 mm
• Payload: 4 kg (8.8 lbs.)
• Task Repeatability: 0.1 mm
• Embedded Vision: Cognex camera in wrist, wide view camera in head
• Safety by Inherent Design: Power and force limited compliant arm with series elastic actuators and embedded sensors
• Embedded Force Sensing: High resolution force sensors embedded at each joint
• IP Classification: IP54 rating
• Power Requirement: Standard power outlet (120V, 6 amps)
• Useful Life: 35,000 hours

Download basic specification about Sawyer robot

Contact us today (contact@generationrobots.com) if you want to know more about Sawyer for Research & Education, or if you want to know more about its abilities.