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®.

Indeed the Puck® is now used by hundreds of customers worldwide across an array of applications from humanoids, to medical devices, to consumer products that leverage its advantages, including:

• ultra-compactness (10x smaller than the next smallest)

• high-performance

• excellent power-efficiency

• durability

• robust control

• low electrical noise

• smooth torque control

• application simplicity (eliminated wires/connectors)

• auto-tuning for application to any brushless motor

Our robotic therapy solutions have been in the making since 2007. We have introduced innovative robotic technology throughout the years and are incredibly proud of the advancements we have contributed to the medical community. The launch of Burt® in 2019 is a significant achievement in promoting upper-limb recovery from neurological injuries such as stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury (SBI), Parkinson's, and others.