It is well known that in design of traditional magneto-rheological brake (MRB), coils are placed on the cylindrical housing of the brake. In this study, a new configuration of MR brake with coils placed on the side housings of the brake is proposed and analyzed. After briefly explaining the operating principle of the proposed configuration, the braking torque of the MR brake is analyze based on Bingham-plastic rheological model of MR fluid. The optimization of the proposed and conventional MR brakes is then performed considering maximum braking torque and mass of the brake. Based on the optimal results, a comparison between the proposed MR brakes and the conventional ones is undertaken. In addition, experimental test of the MR brakes is conducted and the results are presented in order to validate the performance characteristics of the proposed MR brake.