Robotics Kinematics and Dynamics/Serial Manipulator Position Kinematics

Robotics Kinematics and Dynamics/Serial

Manipulator Position Kinematics
Forward Position Kinematics
The forward position kinematics problem can be stated as follows: given the different joint angles, what is the the
position of the end-effector? With the previous sections in mind, the answer is rather simple: construct the different
transformation matrices and combine them in the right way, the result being
, where
is the base frame of
the robot manipulator.

Solution
Suppose the mutual orientation matrices between adjacent links are known. (As the fixed parameters of each link are
known, and the joint angles are a given to the problem, these can be calculated. One possible way to do this would be
to make use of the Denavit-Hartenberg convention.) The transformation that relates the last and first frames in a
serial manipulator arm, and thus, the solution to the forward kinematics problem, is then represented by the
compound homogeneous transformation matrix. The axes are moving, thus, the compound homogeneous
transformation matrix is found by premultiplying the individual transformation matrices:

Examples
The Planar Three-Link Manipulator
The equations below use 3 3 pose matrices, as this is just a
2-dimensional case (cf. the figure on the right).
The pose of the first link, relative to the reference frame, is given by
(recall the elementary rotation about the z-axis from the previous
section):

The pose of the second link, relative to the first link, is given by:

A planar three link manipulator. Each

This corresponds to a rotation by an angle

distance

, where

and a translation by a

is the length of the first link.

The pose of the third link, relative to the second link, is given by:

lies along the

th link. Each

rotation from

The pose of the end effector, relative to the third link, is given by:

-axis lies

perpendicular to the corresponding

such a way that a positive

-axis
-axis in

corresponds with a
to

Robotics Kinematics and Dynamics/Serial Manipulator Position Kinematics

The solution to the forward kinematics problem is then:

Hence:

The resulting kinematic equations are:

Inverse Position Kinematics

The inverse kinematics problem is the opposite of the forward kinematics problem and can be summarized as
follows: given the desired position of the end effector, what combinations of the joint angles can be used to achieve
this position?
Two types of solutions can be considered: a closed-form solution and a
numerical solution. Closed-form or analytical solutions are sets of
equations that fully describe the connection between the end-effector
position and the joint angles. Numerical solutions are found through
the use of numerical algorithms, and can exist even when no
closed-form solution is available. There may also be multiple solutions,
or no solution at all.

Example: Planar Three-Link Manipulator

The inverse kinematics problem for this 2D manipulator can quite
easily be solved algebraically.
From the earlier results (for simplicity, the displacement over the
distance shall be omitted here):
An example of two different solutions for the
inverse kinematics problem leading to the same
end-effector position and orientation.

Now assume a given end-effector orientation in the following form:

Robotics Kinematics and Dynamics/Serial Manipulator Position Kinematics

Equating the two previous expressions results in:

As:
,
squaring both the expressions for

Solving for

and

and adding them, leads to:

leads to:
,

while

equals:
,

and, finally,

Note: The choice of the sign for

The expressions for

and

where

corresponds with one of the two solutions in the figure above.

may now be solved for

, and

Let:

Then:

Applying these to the above equations for

and

,
or:

Thus:

Hence:

Note: If

actually becomes arbitrary.

. In order to do so, write them like this:

Robotics Kinematics and Dynamics/Serial Manipulator Position Kinematics

may now be solved from the first two equations for

and

Article Sources and Contributors

Article Sources and Contributors

Robotics Kinematics and Dynamics/Serial Manipulator Position Kinematics Source: http://en.wikibooks.org/w/index.php?oldid=1574629 Contributors: Adrignola, Jan Boddez

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

Image:Planar-three-link-manipulator.svg Source: http://en.wikibooks.org/w/index.php?title=File:Planar-three-link-manipulator.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: Jan Boddez
Image:Inverse-kinematics-multiple-solutions.svg Source: http://en.wikibooks.org/w/index.php?title=File:Inverse-kinematics-multiple-solutions.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: Jan
Boddez

License
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