Abstract: A device for positioning a medical appliance in an operational position with respect to a patient, includes a bearing element configured to receive the medical appliance; at least two compressible chambers containing a frictional jamming material capable of exhibiting frictional jamming when air is removed from the chambers, the chambers being coupled to the bearing element; wherein: in a non-actuated configuration, the bearing element is adapted to be positioned in the operational position, and the chambers are configured to move the bearing element according to six degrees of freedom, and in an actuated configuration, the frictional jamming material is subjected to frictional jamming, thereby allowing for the chambers to become rigid and the bearing element to be fixedly positioned, wherein the device is configured to be self-supporting in the actuated configuration. The disclosure also relates to a system and a method for positioning a medical appliance.