A robotic arm is an automatic operating device that can imitate certain motion functions of human hands and arms and is used to grab and carry objects or operate tools according to fixed procedures. The manipulator is the earliest industrial robot and the earliest modern robot. It can replace people's heavy labor to achieve mechanization and automation of production, and can operate in harmful environments to protect personal safety. Therefore, it is widely used in machinery manufacturing, metallurgy, Sectors such as electronics, light industry and atomic energy.

It was developed on the basis of ancient robots that appeared in the early days. Research on manipulators began in the mid-20th century. With the development of computers and automation technology, especially since the advent of the first digital electronic computer in 1946, computers have made amazing progress , developing in the direction of high speed, large capacity and low price. At the same time, the urgent need for mass production has promoted the progress of automation technology and laid the foundation for the development of robots.

On the other hand, research on nuclear energy technology requires certain operating machinery to handle radioactive materials instead of humans. Against the background of this demand, the United States developed a remote-controlled robotic arm in 1947, and a mechanical master-slave robotic arm in 1948. The manipulator was first developed in the United States. In 1954, Dai Vol in the United States first proposed the concept of industrial robots and applied for a patent. The key point of this patent is to use servo technology to control the joints of the robot, use human hands to teach the robot movements, and the robot can record and reproduce movements.

 This is the so-called teaching reproduction robot. Almost all existing robots adopt this control method. In 1958, the United States United Controls Corporation developed the first robotic arm riveting robot. The earliest practical models (teaching reproduction) of robot products were the "VERSTRAN" launched by the American AMF Company in 1962 and the "UNIMATE" launched by the UNIMATION Company. These industrial robots are mainly composed of human-like hands and arms. They can replace people's heavy labor to achieve mechanization and automation of production, and can operate in harmful environments to protect personal safety. Therefore, they are widely used in machinery manufacturing, metallurgy, electronics, light sectors such as industry and atomic energy.