Robotic arm

A programmable mechanical manipulator made of linked segments and joints that moves or positions tools and objects. Its motion is controlled to perform tasks in a workspace.

Connect

Robot kinematics: The geometry of robot motion, relating joint positions to the location and orientation of a robot’s parts. It describes how joint movements determine the arm’s tool position.
Robot link: A relatively rigid structural segment connecting joints in a robot. A sequence of links gives the arm its reach and physical shape.
Industrial robot: An automatically controlled, reprogrammable multipurpose manipulator used in industrial automation. Robotic arms are the main form of many industrial robots.
Parallel manipulator: A robot mechanism whose moving platform is connected to its base by multiple kinematic chains. Its parallel structure can offer rigidity and speed unlike a serial arm.
Forward kinematics: A method for calculating a robot’s end-effector pose from its joint positions. It predicts where the arm’s tool will be after a chosen joint configuration.
Degrees of freedom (robotics): The number of independent coordinates needed to specify a robot’s configuration. This count indicates how flexibly the arm can position and orient its tool.
Articulated robot: A robot with rotary joints arranged to provide human-arm-like flexibility. This common arm configuration reaches around obstacles through multiple rotary joints.
Delta robot: A parallel robot with arms connected to a moving platform, commonly used for rapid picking. It contrasts with serial arms through high-speed motion and a lightweight moving platform.
Inverse kinematics: A method for finding joint positions that place a robot’s end effector at a desired pose. It turns a target location into movements the arm can execute.
Servo motor: A motor in a feedback-controlled system that moves toward a commanded position, speed, or torque. Servos commonly drive arm joints with controlled motion.