Chapter 2

Robot Kinematics: Position Analysis

2.1 INTRODUCTION

Forward Kinematics:
to determine where the robot’s hand is?
(If all joint variables are known)

Inverse Kinematics:
to calculate what each joint variable is?
(If we desire that the hand be
located at a particular point)
 What is Kinematics

•Forward kinematics z
Given joint variables

q  (q1 , q2 , q3 , q4 , q5 , q6 ,qn )

x
Y  ( x, y, z , R13, R 23, R 33)

End-effector position and

orientation, -Formula?
 What is Kinematics

•Inverse kinematics z
End effector position
and orientation

Y  ( x, y, z , R13, R 23, R 33)

y

x
q  (q1 , q2 , q3 , q4 , q5 , q6 ,qn )

Joint variables -Formula?

 Example 1
Forward kinematics
y0
x0  l cos y1
x1
y0  l sin
l

Inverse kinematics 
x0
  cos ( x0 / l )
1
 Chapter 2
Robot Kinematics: Position Analysis

2.2 ROBOTS AS MECHANISM

Multiple type robot have multiple DOF.
(3 Dimensional, open loop, chain mechanisms)

Fig. 2.1 A one-degree-of-freedom closed-loop Fig. 2.2 (a) Closed-loop versus (b) open-loop mechanism
three-bar mechanism
 Chapter 2
Robot Kinematics: Position Analysis
2.3 MATRIX REPRESENTATION
2.3.1 Representation of a Point in Space

A point P in space :
3 coordinates relative to a reference frame

^ ^ ^
P  a x i  by j  c z k

Fig. 2.3 Representation of a point in space

 Chapter 2
Robot Kinematics: Position Analysis
2.3 MATRIX REPRESENTATION
2.3.2 Representation of a Vector in Space

A Vector P in space :
3 coordinates of its tail and of its head

__ ^ ^ ^
P  a x i  by j  c z k
x
__  y
P 
z
 
 w
Fig. 2.4 Representation of a vector in space
 Chapter 2
Robot Kinematics: Position Analysis
2.3 MATRIX REPRESENTATION
2.3.3 Representation of a Frame at the Origin of a Fixed-Reference Frame

Each Unit Vector is mutually perpendicular. :

normal, orientation, approach vector

 nx ox a x 
F  n y o y a y 
 nz oz a z 

Fig. 2.5 Representation of a frame at the origin of the reference frame

 Chapter 2
Robot Kinematics: Position Analysis
2.3 MATRIX REPRESENTATION
2.3.4 Representation of a Frame in a Fixed Reference Frame

Each Unit Vector is mutually perpendicular. :

normal, orientation, approach vector

 nx ox a x Px 
n o y a y Py 
F  y

 nz oz a z Pz 
 
0 0 0 1

Fig. 2.6 Representation of a frame in a frame

 Chapter 2
Robot Kinematics: Position Analysis
2.3 MATRIX REPRESENTATION
2.3.5 Representation of a Rigid Body

An object can be represented in space by attaching a frame

to it and representing the frame in space.

 nx ox ax Px 
n o y a y Py 
Fobject   y

 nz oz a z Pz 
 
0 0 0 1

Fig. 2.8 Representation of an object in space

 Chapter 2
Robot Kinematics: Position Analysis
2.4 HOMOGENEOUS TRANSFORMATION MATRICES
A transformation matrices must be in square form.

• It is much easier to calculate the inverse of square matrices.

• To multiply two matrices, their dimensions must match.

 nx ox a x Px 
n o y a y Py 
F  y

 nz oz a z Pz 
 
0 0 0 1
 Chapter 2
Robot Kinematics: Position Analysis
2.5 REPRESENTATION OF TRANSFORMATINS
2.5.1 Representation of a Pure Translation

A transformation is defined as making a movement in space.

• A pure translation.
• A pure rotation about an axis.
• A combination of translation or rotations.

1 0 0 dx 
0 1 0 d y 
T 
0 0 1 dz 
 
0 0 0 1
Fig. 2.9 Representation of an pure translation in space
 Chapter 2
Robot Kinematics: Position Analysis
2.5 REPRESENTATION OF TRANSFORMATINS
2.5.2 Representation of a Pure Rotation about an Axis

Assumption : The frame is at the origin of the reference frame and parallel to it.

Fig. 2.10 Coordinates of a point in a rotating

frame before and after rotation.
Fig. 2.11 Coordinates of a point relative to the reference
frame and rotating frame as viewed from the x-axis.
 Chapter 2
Robot Kinematics: Position Analysis
2.5 REPRESENTATION OF TRANSFORMATINS
2.5.3 Representation of Combined Transformations

A number of successive translations and rotations….

Fig. 2.13 Effects of three successive transformations Fig. 2.14 Changing the order of transformations will
change the final result
 Chapter 2
Robot Kinematics: Position Analysis
2.5 REPRESENTATION OF TRANSFORMATINS
2.5.5 Transformations Relative to the Rotating Frame

Example 2.8

Fig. 2.15 Transformations relative to the current frames.

In this section, we address the problem of orientation of one coordinate
frame relative to another frame.
 2.2 REPRESENTING ROTATIONS

2.2.1 Rotation in the plane

The orientation is to specify the coordinate
vectors for the axes of frame o1x1y1 with respect to
coordinate frame o0x0y0 .

This form is called a rotation matrix

 2.2 REPRESENTING ROTATIONS

2.2.1 Rotation in the plane

 2.2 REPRESENTING ROTATIONS
2.2.1 Rotation in the plane
An alternative approach,
The rotation matrix by projecting the
Axes of frame o1x1y1 onto the coordinate
axes of frame o0x0y0.
The dot product of two unit vectors.

The rotation matrix:

 2.2 REPRESENTING ROTATIONS

2.2.1 Rotation in the plane

Properties of the Matrix
 2.2 REPRESENTING ROTATIONS

2.2.1 Rotation in the plane

Properties of the Matrix
 2.2 REPRESENTING ROTATIONS

2.2.2 Rotations in three dimensions

The frame o1x1y1z1 is projected onto
coordinate frame o0x0y0z0.
The resulting rotation matrix:
 2.2 REPRESENTING ROTATIONS

2.2.2 Rotations in three dimensions

 2.2 REPRESENTING ROTATIONS

2.2.2 Rotations in three dimensions

 2.2 REPRESENTING ROTATIONS

2.2.2 Rotations in three dimensions

The Basic Rotation Matrices
 2.2 REPRESENTING ROTATIONS

2.2.2 Rotations in three dimensions

Rotation matrices representing rotations about the x and
y-axes
 2.3 ROTATIONAL TRANSFORMATIONS

A fixed reference frame is o0x0y0z0,

The point p is attached to coordinate frame o1x1y1z1

we wish to determine the coordinates of p relative

to a fixed reference frame o0x0y0z0
2.3 ROTATIONAL TRANSFORMATIONS
 2.3 ROTATIONAL TRANSFORMATIONS

The projecting the point p onto the coordinate axes of

the frame o0x0y0z0
2.3 ROTATIONAL TRANSFORMATIONS
2.3 ROTATIONAL TRANSFORMATIONS

Thus, the rotation matrix 𝑅10 can be used not only to

represent the orientation of coordinate frame o1x1y1z1
with respect to frame o0x0y0z0,
but also to Transform the coordinates of a point from
one frame to another.

Po=[(R1-0) (R2_1) (R3-2) (R4-3) (R5-4) (R6-5)](P-6)

P0=R6-0 P6
2.3 ROTATIONAL TRANSFORMATIONS
2.3 ROTATIONAL TRANSFORMATIONS
2.3 ROTATIONAL TRANSFORMATIONS
 Summary
We have seen that a rotation matrix R:
• It represents a coordinate transformation relating to a point P
in two different coordinate.

• 2. It gives the orientation of a transformed coordinate frame

with respect to a fixed coordinate frame.
 2.4 COMPOSITION OF ROTATIONS
Composition of rotations about current axes
We have coordinate frame o0x0y0z0 is rotated about y axes to
coordinate frame o1x1y1z1

Rot(y,)=R (y,)
 2.4 COMPOSITION OF ROTATIONS
Composition of rotations about current axes
We have coordinate frame o1x1y1z1 is rotated to
coordinate frame o2x2y2z2
 2.4 COMPOSITION OF ROTATIONS
Composition of rotations about current axes
Then the rotation matrix R
 2.4 COMPOSITION OF ROTATIONS
Composition of rotations about current axes
In order to transform the coordinates of a point p from its
representation 𝑝2 in the frame o2x2y2z2 to its representation 𝑝0
in the frame o0x0y0z0,

X_0 X_2
Y-0 Y-2
Z_0 Z_2
 2.5.1 Euler Angles
A rotation matrix in terms of three independent quantities
Rotate about the z-axis by the angle ∅ .
Rotate about the current y-axis by the angle 𝜃.
Rotate about the current z-axis by the angle Ψ.
 2.5.1 Euler Angles
A rotation matrix in terms of three independent quantities
2.5.1 Euler Angles

3*3
 2.5.1 Euler Angles

Where atan2(y,x) returns the arc tangent of the two numbers x and y.
 2.5.2 Roll, Pitch, Yaw Angles

It is a product of successive rotations about the principal

coordinates.
 2.5.2 Roll, Pitch, Yaw Angles

It is a product of successive rotations about the principal

coordinates.
 2.6 RIGID MOTIONS

O0 for reference frame;

O1 for new or rotating frame;

2.7 HOMOGENEOUS TRANSFORMATIONS

It is a rigid motions represented in matrix form

 3.1 KINEMATIC CHAINS

• Robot manipulator is composed of a set of links

connected together by joints.
•The joints can be a revolute joint or a prismatic joint.
•Each joint has a single degree-of-freedom.
•A robot manipulator with n joints will have n + 1 links.
•The joints are numbered from 1 to n, and
•The links are numbered from 0 to n, starting from the
base.
•link 0 (the first link) is fixed, and does not move when the
joints are actuated.
 3.1 KINEMATIC CHAINS

• Robot manipulator is composed of a set of links

connected together by joints.
•The joints can be a revolute joint or a prismatic joint.
•Each joint has a single degree-of-freedom.
•A robot manipulator with n joints will have n + 1 links.
•The joints are numbered from 1 to n, and
•The links are numbered from 0 to n, starting from the
base.
•link 0 (the first link) is fixed, and does not move when the
joints are actuated.
 3.1 KINEMATIC CHAINS

• Attached coordinate frames to manipulator

 3.1 KINEMATIC CHAINS

With the 𝑖𝑡ℎ joint, a joint variable is denoted by 𝑞𝑖 :

The homogeneous transformation matrix 𝐴𝑖 is used to find

the position and orientation of the end-effector with respect
to the base frame.

T{6-0}=A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6
 3.1 KINEMATIC CHAINS

The position and orientation of the end-effector in the

inertial frame are given by
 3.2 FORWARD KINEMATICSTHE
DENAVIT-HARTENBERG CONVENTION
The forward kinematics is an analysis concerned with the
relationship between the individual joints of the robot
manipulator and the position and orientation of the tool or end-
effector.
So that, the objective of forward kinematic is to determine the
position and orientation of the end effector for given values of
these joint variables.
The forward kinematics can be found by Denavit-Hartenberg
method, or DH convention.
 Jacques Denavit and Richard Hartenberg

They introduced many of the key concepts of kinematics for

serial-link manipulators in a1955paper (Denavit and Hartenberg
1955) and their later classic text Kinematic Synthesis of
Linkages (Hartenberg and Denavit1964).
Jacques Denavit and Richard Hartenberg

American physicist and professor of mechanical

engineering. Together with his teacher Hartenberg
describe the relationship between two joints in
different coordinate systems using only four
parameters.
 3.2 FORWARD KINEMATICS
THE DENAVIT-HARTENBERG CONVENTION
The Denavit-Hartenberg set four basic variables for each
link:
 3.2 FORWARD KINEMATICS
THE DENAVIT-HARTENBERG CONVENTION
 3.2 FORWARD KINEMATICS
THE DENAVIT-HARTENBERG CONVENTION
In the Denavit-Hartenberg convention, each homogeneous
transformation Ai is represented as a product of four basic
transformations:
 3.2 FORWARD KINEMATICS
THE DENAVIT-HARTENBERG CONVENTION

: are four quantities parameters associated

with link and joint.
3.2.2 Assigning the coordinate frames
3.2.2 Assigning the coordinate frames
3.2.2 Assigning the coordinate frames
 3.2 FORWARD KINEMATICS
THE DENAVIT-HARTENBERG CONVENTION
Example 3.1 Find the forward kinematics Planar Elbow Manipulator,
Two-link planar manipulator.

Solution: The z-axes all point out of the page, and are not shown in the
figure.
 3.2 FORWARD KINEMATICS
THE DENAVIT-HARTENBERG CONVENTION
The joint axes z0 and z1 are normal to the page.

•Establish the base frame o0x0y0z0 as shown.

•The origin is chosen at the point of intersection
of the z0 axis with the page and the direction of
the x0 axis is completely arbitrary.
•Once the base frame is established, the o1x1y1z1
frame is fixed as shown by the DH convention,
where the origin o1 has been located at the
intersection of z1 and the page.
•The final frame o2x2y2z2 is fixed by choosing the
origin o2 at the end of link 2 as shown.
 3.2 FORWARD KINEMATICS
THE DENAVIT-HARTENBERG CONVENTION
Table 3.1 Link parameters for 2-link planar manipulator
 3.2 FORWARD KINEMATICS
THE DENAVIT-HARTENBERG CONVENTION
 3.2 FORWARD KINEMATICS
THE DENAVIT-HARTENBERG CONVENTION
The x and y components of the origin o2 in the base frame; that is,
 Last Lecture FORWARD KINEMATICS

The Denavit-Hartenberg set four basic variables for

each link:
FORWARD KINEMATICS
 Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS
Example 3.2 Find the forward kinematics for robotic arm of Three-Link Cylindrical
Robot shown in figure.
 Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS

Solution :
Step 1 : locate and label joints.
Step 2 : establish the base frame.
Step 3: locate origin.
Step 4,5 : establish x –axis and y –axis.
Step 6: establish end effector frame.
Step 7: create table of DH parameters.
 Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS

Table of link parameters for 3-link cylindrical manipulator

 Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS

System Matrices :
 Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS

Forward kinematics is :-
 Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS
Example 3.3 find forward kinematics for robotic wrist type Spherical Wrist
 Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS
Solution : The spherical wrist frame assignment
 Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS

Solution :
The spherical wrist frame assignment

DH steps:
Step 1 : locate and label joints.
Step 2 : establish the base frame.
Step 3: locate origin.
Step 4,5 : establish x –axis and y –axis.
Step 6: establish end effector frame.
Step 7: create table of DH parameters.
 Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS

Table of DH parameters
 Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS
Wrist Matrices:
 Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS

Forward kinematics is :-
 Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS
Example 3.4: find forward kinematics for Cylindrical Manipulator with
Spherical Wrist.
 Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS
The forward kinematics of this manipulator is described by
Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS
Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS

Notice how most of the complexity of the forward kinematics

for this manipulator results from the orientation of the end-
effector while the expression for the arm position from
(previous example) is fairly simple. The spherical wrist
assumption not only simplifies the derivation of the forward
kinematics here, but will also greatly simplify the inverse
kinematics problem in the next chapter.
 Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS

Example 3.5 find forward kinematics for Stanford Manipulator

This manipulator is an example of a spherical (RRP)

manipulator with a spherical wrist.
 Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS
Table 3.4 DH parameters for Stanford Manipulator
 Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS

It is straightforward to compute the matrices Ai

Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS
 Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS
Example 3.6 find forward kinematics for SCARA Manipulator

This manipulator consists of an RRP arm and a one degree-of-freedom

wrist, whose motion is a roll about the vertical axis.
Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS
 Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS
The A-matrices are as follows:
 Example: FORWARD KINEMATICS

The forward kinematic equations are therefore given by

 Chapter 2
Robot Kinematics: Position Analysis
2.6 INVERSE OF TRANSFORMATION MATIRICES
Inverse of a matrix calculation steps :
• Calculate the determinant of the matrix.
• Transpose the matrix.
• Replace each element of the transposed matrix by its own minor(adjoint matrix).
• Divide the converted matrix by the determinant.

Fig. 2.16 The Universe, robot, hand, part, and end effecter frames.