a transport system for conveying articles along conveyance paths including straight , curvilinear , horizontal , vertical , inclined , and declined conveyance sections optionally physically offset from one another horizontally , vertically , or combinations thereof . the articles are conveyed between a pair of transport belts or rollers and / or by conveyance elements such as a gripper , a robotic hoist , a lift , or an elevator while being optionally supported by protrusions extending from the belts or rollers , secured via a kinematic interface , grasped by a gripper , or supported by air bearings . multiple conveyance sections , lifts , robotic hoists , grippers , and elevators can be joined , interfaced , and / or integrated over complex paths and arrangements with one another as well as with manufacturing , processing , measurement , and sorting equipment . the articles conveyed may include semiconductor wafers , substrates for the manufacture of display devices or photovoltaics , or the like .