Hardware

Manipulator

A manipulator is a robotic arm consisting of a kinematic chain of links and actuated joints terminating in an end-effector such as a gripper or tool. Common configurations include six or seven degree-of-freedom articulated arms, SCARA arms for planar assembly, delta robots for high-speed picking, and Cartesian gantries. Key specifications include payload, reach, repeatability, speed, and whether the arm is force-limited for collaborative operation.

Why it matters for physical AI

The manipulator is the physical substrate every learned policy must ultimately command; its kinematics, compliance, and sensing define the action space and safety envelope available to manipulation foundation models.