The conceptual design has been investigated of the kinematic structure of relatively small robots with positive, rigid-body drive elements of minimum complexity in order to maximize rigidity, minimize vibrations and response time and optimize payload. Several novel robot configurations have been conceived and their displacement analysis and static torque analysis derived directly from their kinematic structure. It is believed that these configurations can be advantageous in the design of high-performance robots relative to current designs involving cables and push/pull elements.