Our History

Cutting Edge of Robotics Since 1988

Barrett spun out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (now CSAIL) where Barrett’s founder, Bill Townsend, created the world’s first human-interactive robotic arm, funded by NASA, while earning his PhD. With seed investment from Julianne Barrett and grants from NASA, NSF, NIH, DOE, and DARPA, Barrett developed its groundbreaking Puck® motor technology and innovative gearless drives that power its world-class robots, including the WAM® arm, BarrettHand™, and Burt®.

1987 — Bill Townsend creates first-ever human-interactive robot

Barrett founder Bill Townsend inspecting a WAM Arm in 1997

Bill Townsend creates first-ever human-interactive robot, dubbed WAM®, the acronym for Whole-Arm Manipulation, at MIT’s Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (now CSAIL), in collaboration with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Pennsylvania State University logo with a stylized blue 'P' on a blue circle background.

1988 — Bill Townsend launches Barrett

Bill Townsend is awarded a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and launches Barrett Technology with financing from investor Julianne Barrett.

Gearless differential transmission drive used in the Burt® rehabilitation arm and the WAM® robotic arm.

1990 — Gearless WAM® drives licensed from MIT and commercialized

Dexterous 3-fingered robotic hand called the BH8-282 BarrettHand™.

1993 — Barrett launches first-generation BarrettHand™ in collaboration with NASA's Johnson Space Center

MAKO Surgical licenses Barrett’s WAM® in 1998

1998 — MAKO Surgical licenses WAM® arm

MAKO Surgical licenses Barrett’s flagship WAM® arm for its RIO® surgical robot. (MAKO subsequently purchased by Stryker for $1.6B based on the WAM-enabled RIO robot.)

1999 — SensAble Technology licenses WAM® technology for PhanTom and Omni products.

In 1999 Barrett licenses key patent for PhanTom®, the first ever haptic device.

2000 — The special Guinness World Records, Millennium Edition singles out the WAM® arm as the world’s “Most Advanced Robotic Arm” pp 170-171.

WAM® arm is singled out in the special Millennium Edition of the Guinness World Records on pages 170-171.
Headshot of Joseph F. Engelberger, know widely as the "father of robotics". Townsend bestowed with the prestigious Engelberger Award in 2003

2003 — Townsend honored to win the Joseph F. Engelberger Award

Townsend is awarded the prestigious Joseph F. Engelberger Award in Technology for his pioneering efforts to design the first-ever robotic arm designed for safe physical human interaction.

2004 — Barrett introduces 1st-generation Puck® networked brushless-motor controller.

1st-generation Puck® advanced networked brushless motor controller, introduced in 2004, enabling the WAM® arm to be the first arm without a separate controller box.

2010 — WAM® arm and BarrettHand™ combination chosen for DARPA's ARM program

In 2010 Barrett exceeds $40m in worldwide sales of robots.

Barrett edges out stiff competition from strong competitors like Boston Dynamics because of the superior features of the WAM® and BarrettHand™. DARPA purchases 14 systems to explore the boundaries of artificial intelligence applied to robots.

Amazon robotic bin-picking challenge, where the Technische Universität Berlin leveraged the dexterity of the WAM® to win the prize in 2015.

2015 — Technische Universität Berlin leverages WAM® arm kinematics to win Amazon Challenge

Technische Universität Berlin, leveraging the superior dexterity of the WAM® arm kinematics, takes first place among 28 teams from 9 countries at the Amazon Bin-Picking Challenge with 148 points, beating 2nd-place MIT (using ABB robots) at 88 points. Runners-up used arms from UR, Fanuc, Yaskawa-Motoman, and ReThink.

3rd-generation Puck® brushless motor controller, weighing only 2.5 grams, by far the world's smallest.

2018 — Barrett introduces the 3rd-generation Puck®

2019 — Burt® sales begin, marking the start of the Barrett Medical division

Burt® rehabilitation robot for upper-limb for use by physical and occupational therapists and speech language pathologists.

Burt® sales begin under the Barrett Medical brand. WAM® arm, BarrettHand™, and Puck® rebranded under the new Barrett Advanced Robotics division.

2020 — Barrett wins 5th United States Patent (#11,290,043) on Puck® with foreign equivalents

Seal of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office featuring an eagle clutching a branch and arrows, with an American flag background.

2023 — As Barrett’s Chief Commercial Officer, Matt Rigby begins building robust US sales team and international partners

Matt Rigby expands Barrett's sales reach across the United States with direct sales force and internationally via partners.

2025 — Barrett wins 3 more United States patents (#12,350,830; #12,447,089; and #12,494,725) along with foreign equivanents protecting both the Puck® and the Puck®-enabled Burt® system.

Barrett pioneering innovator with novel technology in both rehabilitation robotics and brushless motor controls.