Parallel Shift refers to the shifting of an object from a fixed position in such a way that all points within the object move an equal distance. In the model for Parallel Shift shown in the following, the shift value can be defined as the distance L (three dimensional coordinate displacement). The Parallel Shift Function is relevant to the actual operation of the manipulator because it can be used to reduce the amount of work involved in teaching by shifting a taught path (or position). In the example in the figure below, the taught position A is shifted in increments of the distance L (this is actually a three dimensional XYZ displacement that can be recognized by the robot).