Hardware

Linear Actuator

A linear actuator is a device that produces motion along a straight line, implemented electrically via lead screws, ball screws, belt drives, rack-and-pinion mechanisms, or direct-drive linear motors, or via pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders. Key specifications include stroke length, force, speed, backdrivability, and positioning accuracy. In robotics they appear in grippers, lift columns for mobile manipulators, gantries, and torso or leg joints.

Why it matters for physical AI

Vertical lift stages and prismatic joints determine a mobile manipulator's reachable workspace, from floor to shelf height, directly shaping which real-world fetch-and-place tasks a platform can address.