The part of the robot that grasps is called the

• A. Manipulator
• B. End effector
• C. Gripper
• D. Joints

Answer: (A)

The part that actually interacts with and grasps objects is the end effector. This is the piece at the end of the robotic arm that performs the task—whether it’s gripping, cutting, welding, or picking up a item. A gripper is a common type of end effector specifically designed to grab objects. The manipulator, on the other hand, refers to the whole arm assembly (the links and joints) that moves the end effector around. Joints are the connections between those links that allow movement. So the grasping function is carried out by the end effector, with a gripper being a concrete example of that end effector.