Mathematical Fundamentals Representations

Representation of Orientation
Mathematical Fundamentals Representations
Representation of Orientation
Different Types of Orientation Representations

• Rotation matrix (direction cosines)

• Euler angles

• Quaternion

• Axis angles
Mathematical Fundamentals Representations
Representation of Orientation
Different Types of Orientation Representations

• Rotation matrix (direction cosines)

• Euler angles

• Quaternion

• Axis angles
Mathematical Fundamentals Representations
Representation of Orientation
Euler angles

• Any orientation transformation from initial frame to final frame can be represented by 3 consecutive

rotations about any of three rotations in any of X,Y and Z axes , (where no two successive rotations

may be about the same axis.)

• Rotation sequence matters (reverse sequence is not the same)

𝑅𝑍 𝑅𝑌 𝑅𝑋 ≠ 𝑅𝑋 𝑅𝑌 𝑅𝑍
Mathematical Fundamentals Representations
Representation of Orientation
Euler angles
• There exist twelve possible sequences of rotation axes can be achieved

divided in two groups:

All rotation about Tait–Bryan angles

Proper Euler angles Contain two
different axes (Cardan angles)
rotation about
X𝑌𝑍 , X𝑍𝑌 , X𝑌𝑋 , X𝑍𝑋 same axis

Roll , Pitch, Yaw 𝑌𝑋𝑍 , Y𝑍𝑋 , Y𝑋𝑌 , Y𝑍𝑌

𝑍𝑌𝑋 , 𝑍𝑋𝑌 , Z𝑋𝑍 , ZY𝑍
Mathematical Fundamentals Representations
Representation of Orientation
Different Types of Orientation Representations Euler angles
Relative/mobile and Fixed axis rotations
ZXZ mobile/Relative axis ZXZ fixed axis

𝛼 𝛾 𝛼 𝛾

𝛽
𝛽
Figure from wikidoc.org
Figure from wikidoc.org

If the sequence is on three different axes , Sequence of Rotations with respect to fixed axis is
equivalent to the opposite sequence of rotations with respect to relative (mobile) axis.
𝑅𝑋𝑌𝑍 𝛼𝛽𝛾 = 𝑅𝑍 𝛼 𝑅𝑌 𝛽 𝑅𝑋 𝛾 𝑅𝑍𝑌𝑋 𝛼𝛽𝛾 = 𝑅𝑍 𝛼 𝑅𝑌 𝛽 𝑅𝑋 𝛾

(Fixed axis) 𝑅𝑋𝑌𝑍 𝛼𝛽𝛾 ≡ (mobile/Relative axis) 𝑅𝑍𝑌𝑋 𝛼𝛽𝛾

Mathematical Fundamentals Representations
Representation of Orientation
Finding Euler angle from rotation matrix Euler angles
Example 1 𝒁𝑿𝒁 Euler angles (relative axes )

• Euler angles 𝒁𝑿𝒁 to Rotation matrix

𝑹(𝒁𝑿𝒁) = 𝑅𝑍 𝛼 𝑅𝑋 𝛽 𝑅𝑍 𝛾

cos 𝛼 − sin 𝛼 0 1 0 0 cos 𝛾 − sin 𝛾 0

𝑹(𝒁𝑿𝒁) = sin 𝛼 cos 𝛼 0 0 cos 𝛽 − sin 𝛽 sin 𝛾 cos 𝛾 0
0 0 1 0 sin 𝛽 cos 𝛽 0 0 1

Euler angles cos 𝛼 cos 𝛾 − sin 𝛼 sin 𝛾 cos 𝛽 − cos 𝛼 sin 𝛾 − sin 𝛼 sin 𝛾 cos 𝛽 sin 𝛼 sin 𝛽
𝑹(𝒁𝑿𝒁) = sin 𝛼 cos 𝛾 + cos 𝛼 sin 𝛾 cos 𝛽 − sin 𝛼 sin 𝛾 + cos 𝛼 cos 𝛾 cos 𝛽 − cos 𝛼 sin 𝛽
sin 𝛽 sin 𝛾 sin 𝛽 cos 𝛾 cos 𝛽
Mathematical Fundamentals Representations
Representation of Orientation
Finding Euler angle from rotation matrix Euler angles
Example 1 𝒁𝑿𝒁 Euler angles (relative axes )

• Rotation matrix to Euler angles 𝒁𝑿𝒁

𝑟11 𝑟12 𝑟13 • Equivalent rotation matrix for the sequence 𝑹(𝒁𝑿𝒁)
Given R
𝑅 = 𝑟21 𝑟22 𝑟23 Euler angles cos 𝛼 cos 𝛾 − sin 𝛼 sin 𝛾 cos 𝛽 − cos 𝛼 sin 𝛾 − sin 𝛼 sin 𝛾 cos 𝛽 sin 𝛼 sin 𝛽
𝑟31 𝑟32 𝑟33 𝑹(𝒁𝑿𝒁) = sin 𝛼 cos 𝛾 + cos 𝛼 sin 𝛾 cos 𝛽 − sin 𝛼 sin 𝛾 + cos 𝛼 cos 𝛾 cos 𝛽 − cos 𝛼 sin 𝛽
sin 𝛽 sin 𝛾 sin 𝛽 cos 𝛾 cos 𝛽
• Extracting Euler angles

𝑟31 2 + 𝑟32 2 (sin 𝛽 sin 𝛾)2 +(sin 𝛽 cos 𝛾)2

=
𝑟33 cos 𝛽
Mathematical Fundamentals Representations
Representation of Orientation
Finding Euler angle from rotation matrix Euler angles
Example 1 𝒁𝑿𝒁 Euler angles (relative axes )

• Rotation matrix to Euler angles 𝒁𝑿𝒁

𝑟11 𝑟12 𝑟13 • Equivalent rotation matrix for the sequence 𝑹(𝒁𝑿𝒁)
Given R
𝑅 = 𝑟21 𝑟22 𝑟23 Euler angles cos 𝛼 cos 𝛾 − sin 𝛼 sin 𝛾 cos 𝛽 − cos 𝛼 sin 𝛾 − sin 𝛼 sin 𝛾 cos 𝛽 sin 𝛼 sin 𝛽
𝑟31 𝑟32 𝑟33 𝑹(𝒁𝑿𝒁) = sin 𝛼 cos 𝛾 + cos 𝛼 sin 𝛾 cos 𝛽 − sin 𝛼 sin 𝛾 + cos 𝛼 cos 𝛾 cos 𝛽 − cos 𝛼 sin 𝛽
sin 𝛽 sin 𝛾 sin 𝛽 cos 𝛾 cos 𝛽
• Extracting Euler angles
=1
2
𝑟31 + 𝑟32 2 (sin 𝛽 sin 𝛾)2 +(sin 𝛽 cos 𝛾)2 (sin 𝛽)2 (sin 𝛾 2 + cos 𝛾 2 ) sin 𝛽 𝑟31 2 + 𝑟32 2
= = tan 𝛽 𝛽 = tan −1
𝑟33 cos 𝛽 cos 𝛽 cos 𝛽 𝑟33
Mathematical Fundamentals Representations
Representation of Orientation
Finding Euler angle from rotation matrix Euler angles
Example 1 𝒁𝑿𝒁 Euler angles (relative axes )

• Rotation matrix to Euler angles 𝒁𝑿𝒁

𝑟11 𝑟12 𝑟13 • Equivalent rotation matrix for the sequence 𝑹(𝒁𝑿𝒁)
Given R
𝑅 = 𝑟21 𝑟22 𝑟23 Euler angles cos 𝛼 cos 𝛾 − sin 𝛼 sin 𝛾 cos 𝛽 − cos 𝛼 sin 𝛾 − sin 𝛼 sin 𝛾 cos 𝛽 sin 𝛼 sin 𝛽
𝑟31 𝑟32 𝑟33 𝑹(𝒁𝑿𝒁) = sin 𝛼 cos 𝛾 + cos 𝛼 sin 𝛾 cos 𝛽 − sin 𝛼 sin 𝛾 + cos 𝛼 cos 𝛾 cos 𝛽 − cos 𝛼 sin 𝛽
sin 𝛽 sin 𝛾 sin 𝛽 cos 𝛾 cos 𝛽
• Extracting Euler angles
=1
2
𝑟31 + 𝑟32 2 (sin 𝛽 sin 𝛾)2 +(sin 𝛽 cos 𝛾)2 (sin 𝛽)2 (sin 𝛾 2 + cos 𝛾 2 ) sin 𝛽 𝑟31 2 + 𝑟32 2
= = tan 𝛽 𝛽 = tan −1
𝑟33 cos 𝛽 cos 𝛽 cos 𝛽 𝑟33

𝑟13 sin 𝛼 sin 𝛽 sin 𝛼 𝑟13 𝑟13

=
𝑟23 − cos 𝛼 sin 𝛽 = − tan 𝛼 = α = tan−1 −
− cos 𝛼 𝑟23 𝑟23
Mathematical Fundamentals Representations
Representation of Orientation
Finding Euler angle from rotation matrix Euler angles
Example 1 𝒁𝑿𝒁 Euler angles (relative/mobile axes )
In programing we use
(Atan2) instead of (tan−1 )
• Rotation matrix to Euler angles 𝒁𝑿𝒁
𝑟11 𝑟12 𝑟13 • Equivalent rotation matrix for the sequence 𝑹(𝒁𝑿𝒁)
Given R
𝑅 = 𝑟21 𝑟22 𝑟23 Euler angles cos 𝛼 cos 𝛾 − sin 𝛼 sin 𝛾 cos 𝛽 − cos 𝛼 sin 𝛾 − sin 𝛼 sin 𝛾 cos 𝛽 sin 𝛼 sin 𝛽
𝑟31 𝑟32 𝑟33 𝑹(𝒁𝑿𝒁) = sin 𝛼 cos 𝛾 + cos 𝛼 sin 𝛾 cos 𝛽 − sin 𝛼 sin 𝛾 + cos 𝛼 cos 𝛾 cos 𝛽 − cos 𝛼 sin 𝛽
sin 𝛽 sin 𝛾 sin 𝛽 cos 𝛾 cos 𝛽
• Extracting Euler angles
=1
2
𝑟31 + 𝑟32 2 (sin 𝛽 sin 𝛾)2 +(sin 𝛽 cos 𝛾)2 (sin 𝛽)2 (sin 𝛾 2 + cos 𝛾 2 ) sin 𝛽 𝑟31 2 + 𝑟32 2
= = tan 𝛽 𝛽 = tan −1
𝑟33 cos 𝛽 cos 𝛽 cos 𝛽 𝑟33

Note that this method assumes

𝑟13 sin 𝛼 sin 𝛽 sin 𝛼 𝑟13 𝑟13 𝑟23 ≠ 0 , 𝑟32 ≠ 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑟33 ≠ 0
=
𝑟23 − cos 𝛼 sin 𝛽 = − tan 𝛼 = α = tan−1 −
− cos 𝛼 𝑟23 𝑟23 (causing singularity)

𝛽 ≠ ± 𝜋ൗ2
𝑟31 sin 𝛽 sin 𝛾 sin 𝛾 𝑟31 𝑟31 𝛼 ≠ ± 𝜋ൗ2
= = tan 𝛾 = 𝛾 = tan−1
𝑟32 sin 𝛽 cos 𝛾 cos 𝛾 𝑟32 𝑟32 𝛾 ≠ ± 𝜋ൗ2
Mathematical Fundamentals Representations
Representation of Orientation
Finding Euler angle from rotation matrix Euler angles
Example 2 𝒁𝒀𝑿 Euler angles (relative/ mobile axes )

• Euler angles 𝒁𝒀𝑿 to Rotation matrix Roll, Pitch , Yaw

Yaw Pitch Roll

𝑹(𝒁𝒀𝑿) = 𝑅𝑍 𝛼 𝑅𝑌 𝛽 𝑅𝑋 𝛾
𝑌𝑎𝑤 𝑃𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ 𝑅𝑜𝑙𝑙
cos 𝛼 − sin 𝛼 0 cos 𝛽 0 sin 𝛽 1 0 0
𝑹(𝒁𝒀𝑿) = sin 𝛼 cos 𝛼 0 0 1 0 0 cos 𝛾 − sin 𝛾
0 0 1 − sin 𝛽 0 cos 𝛽 0 sin 𝛾 cos 𝛾

Euler angles cos 𝛼 cos 𝛽 cos 𝛼 sin 𝛽 sin 𝛾 − sin 𝛼 cos 𝛾 cos 𝛼 sin 𝛽 cos 𝛾 + sin 𝛼 sin 𝛾
𝑹(𝒁𝒀𝑿) = sin 𝛼 cos 𝛽 cos 𝛼 sin 𝛽 sin 𝛾 + cos 𝛼 cos 𝛾 sin 𝛼 sin 𝛽 cos 𝛾 − cos 𝛼 sin 𝛾
− sin 𝛽 cos 𝛽 sin 𝛾 cos 𝛽 cos 𝛾
Mathematical Fundamentals Representations
Representation of Orientation ZYX (Roll pitch Yaw) is the Most
Finding Euler angle from rotation matrix Euler angles common representation for
navigation systems (such as IMU)
Example 2 𝒁𝒀𝑿 Euler angles (relative/mobile axes ) In programing we use
(Atan2) instead of (tan−1 )
• Rotation matrix to Euler angles𝒁𝒀𝑿 Roll, Pitch , Yaw
𝑟11 𝑟12 𝑟13 • Equivalent rotation matrix for the sequence 𝑹(𝒁𝒀𝑿)
Given R
𝑅 = 𝑟21 𝑟22 𝑟23 Euler angles cos 𝛼 cos 𝛽 cos 𝛼 sin 𝛽 sin 𝛾 − sin 𝛼 cos 𝛾 cos 𝛼 sin 𝛽 cos 𝛾 + sin 𝛼 sin 𝛾
𝑟31 𝑟32 𝑟33 𝑹(𝒁𝒀𝑿) = sin 𝛼 cos 𝛽 cos 𝛼 sin 𝛽 sin 𝛾 + cos 𝛼 cos 𝛾 sin 𝛼 sin 𝛽 cos 𝛾 − cos 𝛼 sin 𝛾
− sin 𝛽 cos 𝛽 sin 𝛾 cos 𝛽 cos 𝛾
• Extracting Euler angles 𝑃𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ
𝑟31 − sin 𝛽 − sin 𝛽 − sin 𝛽
𝑟31
= = tan 𝛽 𝛽 = tan−1 −
𝑟32 2 + 𝑟33 2 (cos 𝛽 sin 𝛾)2 +(cos 𝛽 cos 𝛾)2 (cos 𝛽)2 (sin 𝛾 2 + cos 𝛾 2 ) cos 𝛽 𝑟32 2 + 𝑟33 2
=1
𝑌𝑎𝑤
𝑟21 sin 𝛼 cos 𝛽 sin 𝛼 𝑟21 𝑟21 Note that this method assumes
−1
=
𝑟11 cos 𝛼 cos 𝛽 = tan 𝛼 = α = tan 𝑟33 ≠ 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑟11 ≠ 0
cos 𝛼 𝑟11 𝑟11
(causing singularity)

𝑟32 cos 𝛽 sin 𝛾 sin 𝛾 𝑟32

𝑅𝑜𝑙𝑙 𝑟32 𝛼 ≠ ± 𝜋ൗ2
−1
=
𝑟33 cos 𝛽 cos 𝛾 = tan 𝛾 = 𝛾 = tan 𝛾 ≠ ± 𝜋ൗ2
cos 𝛾 𝑟33 𝑟33
Mathematical Fundamentals Representations
Representation of Orientation
Euler angles
Examples
• ABB, FANUC and KUKA uses the relative/mobile ZYX
• Kawasaki, Omron use the relative/mobile ZYZ
• SolidWorks use the relative/mobile ZYZ
• Coppeliasim (vrep) uses relative/mobile XYZ

Limitations

• The two different sets of Euler angles correspond to the one rotation matrix. The
mapping from rotation matrix to Euler angles is not unique.
• All the 12 sequence will met singularities, (should be carful)
Mathematical Fundamentals Representations
Representation of Orientation
Different Types of Orientation Representations

• Rotation matrix (direction cosines)

• Euler angles

• Quaternion

• Axis angles