A remote manipulator, also known as a telefactor, telemanipulator, or waldo (after the short story "Waldo" by Robert A. Heinlein which features a man who invents and uses such devices), is a device which, through electronic, hydraulic, or mechanical linkages, allows a hand-like mechanism to be controlled by a human operator. The purpose of such a device is usually to move or manipulate hazardous materials for reasons of safety.
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History
In 1945, the company Central Research Laboratories[1] was given the contract to develop a remote manipulator for the Argonne National Laboratory. The intent was to replace devices which manipulated highly radioactive materials from above a sealed chamber or hot cell, with a mechanism which operated through the side wall of the chamber, allowing a researcher to stand normally while working. The result was the Master-Slave Manipulator Mk. 8, or MSM-8, which became the iconic remote manipulator[2] seen in newsreels and movies, such as the Andromeda Strain or THX 1138.
See also
References
External links
- Central Research Laboratories web site
