The document outlines the business model and features of Baxter, a collaborative robot (cobot) designed for simple tasks in various industries. It emphasizes Baxter's user-friendly interface, ease of training, and safety, making it suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. The document also discusses the competitive landscape, potential revenue streams, and the company's strategic approach to research and development.

1. baxter™
Business Model for
The Unique Robot
with Unique Features
Wong Kim Jyh A0098426U
Cho Eng Keong Benjamin A0098460X
Loke Kah Yeong Jeremy A0098545N
Chong Meiyi A0035569W
Tan Wei Chin A0117107R
Teo Seow Kian A0098492M
Presented by Team Robotics

2. Outline
Customer Segment
Introduction
Value Proposition
Value Capture
Scope of Activities
Strategic Control

3. baxter™
the Collaborative Robot (CoBot)
Hi…take a look at me!

4. Simple Tasks
Medium Quality
Usage
Most Demanding
and High Quality
Usage
KUKA built “TITAN”:
The World's
Strongest Robot
Automotive Industry
Laser Cutting
Industry
Palletising Robots
But question is, do some of these simple
tasks need to be done
by bulky, precise, expensive fixture
robots?
The Market
Industrial Robots

5. • A trend where there is an increasing demand for simple
tasks to be done by low cost, flexible, versatile, user friendly
robots for simple applications.
• To collaborate with human workers, where anyone can train
and use it
“Building robots for these small and medium-
size companies is a fantastic opportunity.
There are many tasks that do not require the
speed and precision of today’s industrial
robots and these tasks are begging to be
automated.” says Henrik I. Christensen, a
professor of robotics at the Georgia Institute
of Technology, in Atlanta, who’s an expert in
industrial automation.
http://spectrum.ieee.org/robotics/industrial-robots/rethink-robotics-baxter-robot-factory-worker
The Demand

6. baxter™ the Cobot

7. Value Proposition
I am…
Easy to Train
Easy to Use
Safe to Use

8. baxter™
How to train robots in the past
• Need Test Engineer to write the Robotic Firmware Code
• Need to test the code and commission the robots
• Tedious to rewrite the code
• Another new Engineer will need to read the code from scratch to
reprogram the robot
Easy to Train

9. baxter™
No Programming Needed Can be easily trained by any worker
in minutes by moving arms and joints in
7 steps
Easy to Train

10. baxter™
Follow-My-Lead Teaching of baxter
Easy to Train

11. baxter™
• All joints contain force
sensors, to detect and
feedback movement
so that it can “feel” for
objects and work
surfaces
Easy to Train
• Sonar sensor and 5
cameras will pick up
the visual motion
paths that the users
provide to baxter.
• And also the part size,
placement, conveyor
speed etc.
• Firmware compensation
allows users to push and
pull the robot arms around
for follow-my-lead
programming.
• So that the motion can be
“programmed” into baxter
Force Feedback Actuators Integrated Vision AI Firmware
How does baxter to it?
R&D Core Asset

12. baxter™
• Cognitive Response through Graph architecture
• Traditional Robot: one event must be completed before another
even takes place
• Baxter Robot: Simultaneous events allowable e.g. both arms
and head moving at the same time
Traditional Architecture
Baxter’s Architecture
(Graph)
Easy to Train
AI firmware allows operations to occur at the same time
1
5
2
6 4
3

13. baxter™
Intuitive User-friendly Interface and Hardware
• UI guides interaction between
user and robot by providing
status and attention indication
e.g. facial expression indicates
if it is struggling with job
Easy to Use
• Buttons located conveniently for
easy accessibility
• Stored programs for “common”
actions
e.g. Left arm to mirror right arm

14. baxter™
Interchangeable End-Effectors
• Easy switching of tasks
• Versatile and flexible for
various operations
• Customization of end-effectors
available (third partly
providers)
Parallel Grippers
Vacuum holders “Finger and Fingertips”
Easy to Use

15. baxter™
Results in Fast, Easy and Versatile Deployment
• Allow frequent line
changeovers based on
manufacturing demand
• Baxter can store well over 100
tasks in its memory, you can
always go back to an earlier
job without even having to
retrain it.
• Material Handing
• Loading/Unloading Lines
• Packing/Unpacking
• Machine Operation
• Light Assembly
• Inspecting, Testing and Sorting
Easy to Use

16. baxter™
In the past, robots are caged for safety
“when baxter’s arm smacks into something, it
just bumps off without causing harm”
Safe to Use
Caged Robots, lest their rigid, fast
and powerful movements injure or
kill someone

17. baxter™
Exclusive licensed a
patented
Series Elastic Actuator
(SEA)
in Baxter’s arm motion.
• series elastic actuators, in which a
motor and gearbox control a
spring that drives the joints,
rather than directly controlling the
joints. Thus making each arm less
rigid
• they can sense, “feel” and adjust
to any obstacles they encounter
Safe to Use
Convention Motor Drive
Patented SEA Technology

18. Customer Segments
Hi…I’m happy to be of
service to you!

19. • Vanguard Plastic manufactures a variety
of plastic parts (different size, shape,
design, color) for customers
• 1 day to program one conventional
existing robot to pack a single part
• With Baxter, they only need 1 hour to
install and less than 30 min to teach a
new task
• Flexibility and time saving for the
packaging of the numerous varieties of
plastic products
Uses baxter for ease of programming and flexibility
Plastic
Contract Manufacturers
Loading, Packing and
Machine Operation

20. Need the flexibility to quickly adjust
to demands because
• High Mix Manufacturing
• for tedious jobs such as snapping
plastic parts together and packing
building block toys
Toy Parts
Manufacturers (SMEs)
Uses baxter for ease of training and usage
Packing and Assembling

21. Require robots which are:
• Easy to develop new
applications
– Open source Software Development
Kit (SDK) based on ROS (Robot
Operating System)
• Versatile
– Able to handle a wide range of simple
tasks; easy to train
– save students from the tedium of
repeatedly doing mundane data
gathering, allowing students to focus
on more involved research
• Safe to use
– Since they will be lots of interactions
between students and robots.
used the SDK to develop a LabVIEW-based interface
for controlling Baxter from a laptop and for viewing
and recording images from the robot's five cameras
MIT’s labs use Baxter to scan a large number of people and
objects with a Kinect-like camera to collect a large library of
scanned items.
Universities &
Research Institutes
Research, Teaching and 3D
Scanning of Multiple Objects

22. Competitors
Who are these
people snatching
my job?

23. ABB
Universal Robots
FANUC
Kawada Industries
Yaskawa
KUKA
Primary competitor Secondary competitor
Competitors
Rethink Robotics
Adept Technology
Barrett Technology
Kiva Systems
Meka Robotics
Stäubli

24. Competitors’ Products
Universal Robots UR5 and UR10 Motoman SDA10D (a YASKAWA company)

25. Comparison of some key
parameters
Baxter (Rethink
Robotics)
UR10 (Universal
Robots)
SDA10D (Motoman
Robotics)
Weight 78Kg 28.9Kg 220Kg
Payload (Weight
Carrying Capability)
2.3Kg 10Kg 10Kg
Ease of Training
Robot
By moving arms and
hands of Robot
Teaching application on
Polyscope 12” graphical
user interface
Uses DX100 Robot
Controller (250kg)
with INFORM III,
menu-driven
programming
Reach per arm 104cm 130cm 72cm
Vision Controlled Yes (5 Cameras + Sonar) No No
Degrees of Freedom
(per arm)
7 6 7
Cost (USD $) $22,000 $34,000 $54,000

26. Strategy Canvas (against Competitors)

27. Value Capture
Money…$$$$

28. Revenue Model(s)
Present
Markup
Revenue Model
Sales
• Sales of Baxter
• Sales of Add-ons
Service
• Extended
Warranty
What we propose
Markup Revenue Model
Metered Service
Rental Service
Licensing Model

29. Current Revenue
Stream
Markup
Metered Service
Rental Service
Licensing
Customer
Customers
Customer
Rethink
Robotics
Distribution
Partner(s)
Baxter
$$$ Order
Extended
Warranty
$
$
Baxter Add-ons
Order
% of
Revenue
Distributor
Rights
Suppliers
$ Contract
Components & Parts

30. Proposed
Revenue Stream
Markup
Metered Service
Rental Service
Licensing
Customer
Customers
Customer
Rethink
Robotics
Distribution
Partner(s)
% of
Revenue
Distributor
Rights
Rental of Baxter
$$ Contract
• Charges client by the
meter, i.e. how long
Baxter has been working.
• Maintenance and
support is provided by
Rethink Robotics and its
distribution partners.
• Modular design for
Baxter allows easy
replacement of faulty
components, thereby
reducing cost for service.
$
Baxter Add-ons
Order

31. Proposed
Revenue Stream
Markup
Metered Service
Rental Service
Licensing
Customer
Customers
Customer
Rethink
Robotics
Distribution
Partner(s)
% of
Revenue
Distributor
Rights
Rental of Baxter
$$ Contract
Warehouse
ContractRental
Storage Space
Extended
Warranty
$
$
Baxter Add-ons
Order
• Charges client through
rental of Baxter for
specific periods of time.
• Rethink Robotics can
still earn from sales of
add-ons and extended
warranty.

32. Proposed
Revenue Stream
Markup
Metered Service
Rental Service
Licensing
Customer
Customers
Customer
Rethink
Robotics
Distribution
Partner(s)
% of
Revenue
Distributor
Rights
Component
Manufacturer
$$
License for interface of
End-effectors
$$
Baxter Customized End-effectors
• Gains revenue through
the licensing of rights
to manufacture parts
using Baxter’s end-
effectors.

33. Scope of activities
How was I designed
and manufactured?
Who are my
collaborators?

34. Research and Development
•No programming
to teach robot
•Series Elastic
Actuator (SEA)
•Force feedback
(sensing &
control)
• Vision and force
detection to
“feel” for objects,
people and
surface
•Behaviour-based
intelligence
•“common sense”
operation
Artificial
Intelligence
Vision
Technology
Intuitive UI
and
Firmware
“Soft
Actuators”

35. •Reduce time to market (Lean Manufacturing)
Components bought from local
suppliers in USA
•Wider network – easier for vertical integration in
future
•Multiple suppliers to reduce risk of losing design
authenticity (being copied by competitors)
Diversification of components
supplier
•Protection of design and IP
•Reduction of capital outlay (Plants and
Equipment)
•Reduce Shipment cost
Assembled in Boston,
Massachusetts Headquarters
•Minimum customization = lower production cost
Using off-the-shelf components;
Minimum customization was
required
Manufacturing
Strategy for Rethink Robotics:
High Profit Margin for each baxter.

36. • Outsources or license out to
3rd party vendors for the
design of some components
for development such as
customized end-effectors for
specified usage.
End-effectors
Customised end-effectors
by 3rd party
Outsourcing

37. Sales, Distribution and Support Partners
In Australia and
New Zealand
In Europe In Japan and Asian
marketIn USA
Network with partners in worldwide regions that have expertise
in distribution of robotics and customization of robotics parts

38. Rethink
Robotics
Partners
R&D
Manufacturing
Sales, Marketing
and Distribution
After Sales Support
Vertical (Dis)integration Chain
U.S.A based contract
manufacturer (Boston)

39. Strategic Control
How to it protect my
profits?

40. Strategized IP portfolio to stave off
competition
• Build and strengthen its current patent portfolio with a pipeline
of key patents to be filed or published
• Secure licensing deals with close associates to leverage on their
patent portfolio such as iRobot Corporation which was also co-
founded by Rodney Brooks, Chairman and CTO of Rethink
Robotics.
Sources: http://www.patentbuddy.com/Company/Profile/RETHINK-ROBOTICS-INC./5121907
http://www.patentbuddy.com/Company/Profile/IROBOT-CORPORATION/92175

41. • As start-up, Rethink Robotics
does not have enough
resources to do everything.
• Focus R&D capabilities on
important aspects such as the
firmware, critical key
components and systems
integration at platform level.
Exploit R&D Asset

42. Control of Interface Standards
A proposal to established a
form of industry standard in
the Mechanical and Electrical
Interface between the robot
and its end-effectors, as the
demand for CoBots increase
Interface standards between
end-effectors and CoBots
Sophisticated
end-effectors
available in the market
Interface

43. Leverage on Publicity to build
Brand Equity
• Since launching of Baxter in Sep 2012, Rethink
Robotics has been covered by world-renowned media
which help establishing Rethink Robotics brand
awareness.

44. • Continue building and maintain its brand equity on delivering
Affordably-priced Quality Collaborative Robot (CoBots) to cross
the chasm into the Early Majority through international trade
shows and events.
Plastic injection
molded Companies
Research
Institution and Labs
The Early Market
Leverage on Publicity to build
Brand Equity

45. Thank You