The invention is a novel compact robotic
manipulator with a special configuration that supports a remote center-of-motion attribute, so it has the ability to accurately and conveniently manipulate and re-orient in 2
degrees of freedom, and to firmly “lock” in place, special purpose surgical tools necessary for minimally invasive therapy. The new features include a sophisticated joint-link structure and configuration that comprises two arcuate links that enable comfortable maneuverability of the end
effector or the tool about a pivot point, typically the port of entry of the tool to the patient's body, while preventing the enlargement of the key hole, in the constrained and limited
workspace of surgical environments. Also the configuration of the joints provides an
open structure that keeps the robots' main parts out of the surgeon's
field of view and out of the work area, providing sufficient space in the vicinity of the operative field, or the entry port of the tool to the patient's internal organs. The
manipulator can be used in manual, autonomous or remote-control
modes.