In
robotics a
manipulator is a device used to manipulate materials without direct contact. The applications were originally for dealing with
radioactive or
biohazardous materials, using
robotic arms, or they were used in inaccessible places. In more recent developments they have been used in applications such as
robotically-assisted surgery and in
space. It is an arm-like mechanism that consists of a series of segments, usually sliding or jointed, which grasp and move objects with a number of
degrees of freedom.