Abstract: A manipulator for receiving and displacing an object, comprising a moving portion, adapted to receive the object. Four support legs each extend between the moving portion and a ground for supporting the moving portion. Each support leg is connected to the ground by a first joint, and with sequentially second, third, fourth and fifth joints connecting the first joints to the moving portion. The support legs are topologically equivalent to one another with respect to the joints. Each of the support legs has constraints in the joints operable to restrict movement of the moving portion to three translational degrees of freedom and one rotational degree of freedom. Actuators are each operatively connected to a different first joint for controlling the movement of the moving portion in any one of the four translational degrees of freedom. A method for controlling the movement of the moving portion is provided.

Abstract: A manipulator for receiving and displacing an object, comprising a moving portion, adapted to receive the object. Four support legs each extend between the moving portion and a ground for supporting the moving portion. Each support leg is connected to the ground by a first joint, and with sequentially second, third, fourth and fifth joints connecting the first joints to the moving portion. The support legs are topologically equivalent to one another with respect to the joints. Each of the support legs has constraints in the joints operable to restrict movement of the moving portion to three translational degrees of freedom and one rotational degree of freedom. Actuators are each operatively connected to a different first joint for controlling the movement of the moving portion in any one of the four translational degrees of freedom. A method for controlling the movement of the moving portion is provided.

Abstract: A manipulator having three support legs each extending between the platform and a ground. The support legs are connected to the ground by a first joint member and to the platform by a second joint member, and these joint members are interconnected by a third joint member. The support legs each have a rotational degree of freedom and have constraints in the joint members operable to restrict the platform to translational motion and to constrain a relationship between linear displacement of the first joint members and output of the platform to be linear. With three actuators each controlling exclusively one of three translational degrees of freedom of the platform, the manipulator is said to be decoupled. With the relationship being equal for a linear displacement of any one of the first joint members and a displacement output of the platform, the decoupled manipulator is said to be isotropic.

Abstract: A manipulator (10) for receiving and displacing an object, comprising a moving portion (11), adapted for receiving the object. Three articulated support legs (A, B, C) each extend between the moving portion (11) and a ground (12) for supporting the moving portion (11). The articulated support legs (A, B, C) are connected to the ground (12) by a first joint member (JA1, JB1, JC1) and to the moving portion (11) by a second joint member (JA3, JB3, JC3). The first joint member (JA1, JB1, JC1) and the second joint member (JA3, JB3, JC3) in the articulated support legs (A, B, C) are interconnected by a third joint member (JA2, JB2, JC2).