An apparatus, comprising: a medical tool; and a robotic manipulator coupled to the medical tool, configured to move using seven or more degrees of freedom, wherein the seven or more DOF comprises at least one redundant DOF, wherein the robotic manipulator comprises a plurality of rigid links interconnected by joints allowing either rotational motion or translational displacement, and wherein at least one of the joints is a redundant joint that moves the robotic manipulator in the at least one redundant DOF, wherein the robotic manipulator is a robotic arm, and wherein the robotic manipulator comprises: a wrist assembly coupled to the medical tool to move the robotic manipulator using three DOF wherein the wrist assembly comprises: a tool-yaw joint coupled to a mounting plate that supports the medical tool to rotate along a first rotational axis; a tool-pitch joint coupled to the tool-yaw joint to rotate along a second rotational axis; and a tool-roll joint coupled to the tool-pitch joint to rotate along a third rotational axis.; and an arm assembly coupled to the wrist assembly to move the robotic manipulator using four DOF, wherein the four DOF comprise the at least one redundant DOF wherein the arm assembly further comprises: an elbow assembly coupled to the wrist assembly; a first shoulder assembly coupled to the elbow assembly; a redundant-joint assembly coupled between the elbow assembly and the first shoulder assembly; and a second shoulder assembly coupled to the first shoulder assembly. a medical tool; and a robotic manipulator coupled to the medical tool, configured to move using seven or more degrees of freedom, wherein the seven or more DOF comprises at least one redundant DOF, wherein the robotic manipulator comprises a plurality of rigid links interconnected by joints allowing either rotational motion or translational displacement, and wherein at least one of the joints is a redundant joint that moves the robotic manipulator in the at least one redundant DOF, wherein the robotic manipulator is a robotic arm, and wherein the robotic manipulator comprises: a wrist assembly coupled to the medical tool to move the robotic manipulator using three DOF wherein the wrist assembly comprises: a tool-yaw joint coupled to a mounting plate that supports the medical tool to rotate along a first rotational axis; a tool-pitch joint coupled to the tool-yaw joint to rotate along a second rotational axis; and a tool-roll joint coupled to the tool-pitch joint to rotate along a third rotational axis.; and an arm assembly coupled to the wrist assembly to move the robotic manipulator using four DOF, wherein the four DOF comprise the at least one redundant DOF wherein the arm assembly further comprises: an elbow assembly coupled to the wrist assembly; a first shoulder assembly coupled to the elbow assembly; a redundant-joint assembly coupled between the elbow assembly and the first shoulder assembly; and a second shoulder assembly coupled to the first shoulder assembly. a tool-yaw joint coupled to a mounting plate that supports the medical tool to rotate along a first rotational axis; a tool-pitch joint coupled to the tool-yaw joint to rotate along a second rotational axis; and a tool-roll joint coupled to the tool-pitch joint to rotate along a third rotational axis.; and an arm assembly coupled to the wrist assembly to move the robotic manipulator using four DOF, wherein the four DOF comprise the at least one redundant DOF wherein the arm assembly further comprises: an elbow assembly coupled to the wrist assembly; a first shoulder assembly coupled to the elbow assembly; a redundant-joint assembly coupled between the elbow assembly and the first shoulder assembly; and a second shoulder assembly coupled to the first shoulder assembly. an elbow assembly coupled to the wrist assembly; a first shoulder assembly coupled to the elbow assembly; a redundant-joint assembly coupled between the elbow assembly and the first shoulder assembly; and a second shoulder assembly coupled to the first shoulder assembly.