Robotics 1

Position and orientation

of rigid bodies

Prof. Alessandro De Luca

Robotics 1 1
 Position and orientation
right-handed orthogonal RFB rigid body
Reference Frames
• position: ApAB (vector ! R3),
B expressed in RFA (use of coordinates
RFA I
other than Cartesian is possible, e.g.
pAB
cylindrical or spherical)
• orientation:
orthonormal 3x3 matrix
A (RT = R-1 " ARB BRA = I), with det = +1

AR
B = [x
A
B
Ay
B
Az
B ]
•  xA yA zA (xB yB zB) are unit vectors (with unitary norm) of frame RFA (RFB)
•  components in ARB are the direction cosines of the axes of RFB with respect
to (w.r.t.) RFA
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 Rotation matrix
direction cosine of
xAT xB xAT yB xAT zB zB w.r.t. xA
AR = yAT xB yAT yB yAT zB
B
orthonormal,
with det = +1 zAT xB zAT yB zAT zB
algebraic structure
chain rule property of a group SO(3)
(neutral element = I;
kR inverse element = RT)
i ! iRj = kRj
orientation of RFi orientation of RFj
w.r.t. RFk w.r.t. RFk
orientation of RFj
w.r.t. RFi

NOTE: in general, the product of rotation matrices does not commute!

Robotics 1 3
 Change of coordinates
z0
0p
x
0p 1p 0x
z1 •  P 0P = y = x 1 + 1py 0y1 + 1pz 0z1
0p
z 1p
x
y1 0x 0y 0z 1p
= 1 1 1 y
1p
RF1 z
y0
RF0 = 0R1 1P
x0
the rotation matrix 0R1 (i.e., the orientation of RF1
w.r.t. RF0) represents also the change of
x1 coordinates of a vector from RF1 to RF0

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 Ex: Orientation of frames in a plane
(elementary rotation around z-axis)

x = OB – xB = u cos # - v sin #$
y •P y = OC + Cy = u sin # + v cos #$
RFC z=w
v #
C or…
u
COP
0x 0y 0z
# RF0 C C C
x B
O
x cos # $-sin # $0 u u
0OP y = sin # $ cos # 0 v = Rz(#) v
z 0 0 1 w w

Rz(-#) = RzT(#)
similarly:
1 0 0 cos # 0 sin #
Rx(#) = 0 cos # - sin # Ry(#) = 0 1 0
0 sin # cos #$ - sin # 0 cos #$

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 Ex: Rotation of a vector around z

y’
v’ x = |v| cos %$
y = |v| sin %$
y v x’ = |v| cos (% + #) = |v| (cos % cos # - sin % sin #)
# x’ = x cos # - y sin #
%$
y’ = |v| sin (% + #) = |v| (sin % cos # + cos % sin #)
x’ x x’ = x sin # + y cos #
O

z’ = z
or…

x’ cos # - sin # 0 x x …as

y’ = sin # cos # 0 y = Rz(#) y before!
z’ 0 0 1 z z

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 Equivalent interpretations
of a rotation matrix
the same rotation matrix, e.g., Rz(#), may represent:
v’
RFC
v
• P RFC #

# #
RF0 RF0

the orientation of a rigid the change of coordinates the vector

body with respect to a from RFC to RF0 rotation operator
reference frame RF0 ex: 0P = Rz(#) CP ex: v’ = Rz(#) v
ex: [0xc 0yc 0zc] = Rz(#)

the rotation matrix 0RC is an operator

superposing frame RF0 to frame RFC
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 Composition of rotations
1R brings RF1 on RF2 2R brings RF2 on RF3
brings RF0 on RF1 2 3

0R
1

p23 = 0 • 3p

p01 = 0 p12 = 0 RF2

RF3
RF1
RF0
a comment on computational complexity

0p 63 products
= (0R1 1R2 2R3) 3p = 0R3 3p
42 summations
0p = 0R1 (1R2 (2R33p)) 27 products
2p
18 summations
1p
Robotics 1 8
 Axis/angle representation
z0
DATA
rz
•  unit vector r (!r! = 1)$
•P
r •  # (positive if counterclockwise, as
v seen from an “observer” placed like r)
z1 y1
#$ DIRECT PROBLEM
RF1 v’ ry
find
RF0 y0
rx R(#,r) = [0x1 0y1 0z1]
x0 RF1 is the result of rotating such that
RF0 by an angle # around
0P= R(#,r) 1P 0v’ = R(#,r) 0v
the unit vector r
x1

Robotics 1 9
 Axis/angle: Direct problem
z0 R(#,r) = C Rz(#) CT
1
C concatenation of three rotations
C-1 = CT r
3 C= n s r
z1 2 y1
Rz(#)

RF1 after the first rotation

RF0
y0 the z-axis coincides with r

sequence of 3 rotations that n and s are orthogonal

x0 bring frame RF0 to superpose unit vectors such that
with frame RF1 n " s = r, or
nysz - synz = rx
x1
nzsx - sznx = ry
nxsy - sxny = rz
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 Axis/angle: Direct problem
solution

R(#,r) = C Rz(#) CT

c# - s# 0 nT
R(#,r) = n s r s# c# 0 sT
0 0 1 rT
= r rT + (n nT + s sT) c# + (s nT - n sT) s#
taking into account that
C CT = n nT + s sT + r rT = I , and that
0 -rz ry
skew-symmetric(r):
s nT - n sT = 0 -rx = S(r)
r " v = S(r)v = - S(v)r
0

depends only
R(#,r) = r rT + (I - r rT) c# + S(r) s# = RT(-#,r) = R(-#,-r)
on r and # !!

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 Rodriguez formula

v’ = R(#,r) v

v’ = v cos # + (r " v) sin # + (1 - cos #)(rTv) r

proof:

R(#,r) v = (r rT + (I - r rT) cos # + S(r) sin #)v

= r rT v (1 - cos #) + v cos # + (r " v) sin #

q.e.d.

Robotics 1 14
 Unit quaternion
"  to eliminate undetermined and singular cases arising in
the axis/angle representation, one can use the unit
quaternion representation
Q = {-, .} = {cos(#/2), sin(#/2) r}
a scalar 3-dim vector
"  -2 + !.!2 = 1 (thus, “unit ...”)
"  (#, r) and (-#, -r) gives the same quaternion Q
"  the absence of rotation is associated to Q = {1, 0}
"  unit quaternions can be composed with special rules (in
a similar way as in the product of rotation matrices)
Q 1*Q 2 = {-1-2 - .1T.2, -1.2 + -2.1 + .1".2}

Robotics 1 20
 Robotics 1

Minimal representations
of orientation
(Euler and roll-pitch-yaw angles)
Homogeneous transformations

Prof. Alessandro De Luca

Robotics 1 1
 “Minimal” representations

  rotation matrices: 9 elements

- 3 orthogonality relationships
inverse problem
- 3 unitary relationships
direct problem

= 3 independent variables

  sequence of 3 rotations around independent axes

  fixed (ai) or moving/current (a’i) axes
  12 + 12 possible different sequences (e.g., XYX)
  actually, only 12 since

{(a1 α1), (a2 α2), (a3 α3)} ≡ { (a’3 α3) , (a’2 α2), (a’1 α1)}

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 ZX’Z’’ Euler angles
1 z≡z’ z’ 2
z’’
y’’
φ y’ RF”
RF’
θ y’ Rx’(θ) =
RF
θ 1 0 0
y
0 cos θ -sin θ
x φ x’ x’≡x’’ 0 sin θ cos θ

cos φ
-
sin φ
0
Rz(φ) = sin φ
cos φ
0 3 z’’≡z’’’
y’’’
0 0 1 y’’
ψ
RF”’
cos ψ
-
sin ψ
0
Rz” (ψ) = sin ψ
cos ψ
0
x’’ x’’’
0 0 1 ψ
Robotics 1 3
 ZX’Z’’ Euler angles
  direct problem: given φ , θ , ψ ; find R
RZX’Z’’ (φ, θ, ψ) = RZ (φ) RX’ (θ) RZ’’ (ψ)
order of definition cφ cψ - sφ cθ sψ - cφ sψ - sφ cθ cψ sφ sθ
in concatenation = sφ cψ + cφ cθ sψ - sφ sψ + cφ cθ cψ - cφ sθ
sθ sψ sθ cψ cθ
  given a vector v”’= (x”’,y”’,z”’) expressed in RF”’, its
expression in the coordinates of RF is
v = RZX’Z’’ (φ, θ, ψ) v”’
  the orientation of RF”’ is the same that would be obtained with
the sequence of rotations:
ψ around z, θ around x (fixed), φ around z (fixed)

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 Roll-Pitch-Yaw angles
PITCH
1 ROLL z’ 2
z z’’
z’ y’’
ψ y’ C1RY(θ)C1T
y’ θ with RY(θ) =
θ y cos θ 0 sin θ
y x’ 0 1 0
ψ x’’ - sin θ 0 cos θ

x≡x’
3 YAW z y’’’
1 0 0 z’’ φ
RX(ψ) = 0 cos ψ - sin ψ y’’
0 sin ψ cos ψ

C2RZ(φ)C2T z’’’
cos φ
-
sin φ 0
with RZ(φ) = sin φ
cos φ 0
0 0 1 x’’ φ x’’’
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 Roll-Pitch-Yaw angles (fixed XYZ)
  direct problem: given ψ , θ , φ ; find R
RRPY (ψ, θ, φ) = RZ (φ) RY (θ) RX (ψ) ⇐ note the order of products!
order of definition cφ cθ cφ sθ sψ - sφ cψ cφ sθ cψ + sφ sψ
= sφ cθ sφ sθ sψ + cφ cψ sφ sθ cψ - cφ sψ
- sθ cθ sψ cθ cψ
  inverse problem: given R = {rij}; find ψ , θ , φ
  r322 + r332 = c2θ, r31 = -sθ ⇒ θ = ATAN2{-r31, ± √ r322 + r332}
  if r322 + r332 ≠ 0 (i.e., cθ ≠ 0) two symmetric values w.r.t. π/2

r32/cθ = sψ, r33/cθ = cψ ⇒ ψ = ATAN2{r32/cθ, r33/cθ}

  similarly... φ = ATAN2{ r21/cθ, r11/cθ }
  singularities for θ = ± π/2
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 Homogeneous transformations
P
•  Bp

Ap RFB
Ap ‘affine’ relationship
AB OB
RFA
Ap = ApAB + ARB Bp
OA

Ap AR Ap Bp
B AB linear
Ap
hom = = = ATB Bphom relationship
1 0 0 0 1 1

vector in homogeneous 4x4 matrix of

coordinates homogeneous transformation
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 Properties of T matrix

  describes the relation between reference frames

(relative pose = position & orientation)
  transforms the representation of a position vector
(applied vector from the origin of the frame)
from a given frame to another frame
  it is a roto-translation operator on vectors in the
three-dimensional space
  it is always invertible (ATB)-1 = BTA
  can be composed, i.e., AT
C = ATB BTC ← note: it does
not commute!
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 Inverse of a
homogeneous transformation

Ap = ApAB + ARB Bp Bp = BpBA + BRA Ap = - ARBT ApAB + ARBT Ap

AR Ap BR Bp AR T - ARBT ApAB
B AB A BA B
=
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

AT BT (ATB)-1
B A

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 Defining a robot task
yE absolute definition
of task
RFE task definition relative
to the robot end-effector
zE
RFB WT
2 •  T = WTB BTE ETT
RFT 1 • 
• 3
known, once
the robot direct kinematics of the
is placed robot arm (function of q)
RFW

BT (q) = WT -1 WT ET -1 = cost
E B T T

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 Final comments on T matrices
  they are the main tool for computing the direct kinematics
of robot manipulators
  they are used in many application areas (in robotics and
beyond)
b
  in the positioning of a vision camera (matrix T with the extrinsic
c
parameters of the camera posture)
  in computer graphics, for the real-time visualization of 3D solid
objects when changing the observation point

AR Ap
B AB
AT =
B
αx αy αz σ

all zero coefficients of scaling always unitary

in robotics perspective coefficient in robotics

Robotics 1
deformation 13
 Robotics 1

Direct kinematics
Prof. Alessandro De Luca

Robotics 1 1
 Kinematics of robot manipulators

!  “study of geometric and time properties of

the motion of robotic structures, without
reference to the causes producing it”

!  robot seen as
“(open) kinematic chain of rigid bodies
interconnected by (revolute or prismatic)
joints”

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 Motivations
!  functional aspects
!  definition of robot workspace
!  calibration
!  operational aspects
task execution task definition and
(actuation by motors) performance

two different “spaces” related by kinematic (and dynamic) maps

!  trajectory planning
!  programming
!  motion control

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 Kinematics
formulation and parameterizations

r = f(q)
DIRECT TASK
JOINT
(Cartesian)
space INVERSE space

q = (q1,…,qn) q = f -1(r) r = (r1,…,rm)

!  choice of parameterization q
!  unambiguous and minimal characterization of the robot configuration
!  n = # degrees of freedom (dof) = # robot joints (rotational or
translational)
!  choice of parameterization r
!  compact description of positional and/or orientation (pose)
components of interest to the required task
!  m ! 6, and usually m ! n (but this is not strictly needed)

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 Open kinematic chains

q2 qn RFE
q4
q1 q3 r = (r1,…,rm)
e.g., the relative angle e.g., it describes the
between a link and the pose of frame RFE
following one

!  m=2
!  pointing in space
!  positioning in the plane
!  m=3
!  orientation in space
!  positioning and orientation in the plane
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 Classification by kinematic type
(first 3 dofs)
SCARA
(RRP)

cylindric
cartesian or (RPP)
gantry
(PPP) articulated or
anthropomorphic
(RRR)
polar or
spherical
(RRP)

P = 1-dof translational (prismatic) joint

R = 1-dof rotational (revolute) joint
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 Direct kinematic map

!  the structure of the direct kinematics function

depends from the chosen r

r = fr(q)

!  methods for computing fr(q)

!  geometric/by inspection
!  systematic: assigning frames attached to the robot
links and using homogeneous transformation matrices

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 Example: direct kinematics of 2R arm
y q1
P " q= n=2
py • 
q2
l2
q2
l1 px
r = py m=3
q1
"
px x

px = l1 cos q1 + l2 cos(q1+q2)
py = l1 sin q1 + l2 sin(q1+q2)
" = q1+ q2
for more general cases we need a “method”!
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 Numbering links and joints

joint 2 joint i+1

link i-1 joint n
link 1

joint 1 link i link n

joint i-1
link 0 joint i
(base) (end effector)

revolute prismatic
Robotics 1 9
 Relation between joint axes

axis of joint i axis of joint i+1

90° %$

A # i$

90°

common normal
B (axis of link i)

a i = distance AB between joint axes (always well defined)

with sign
# i = twist angle between joint axes (pos/neg)!
[projected on a plane % orthogonal to the link axis]

Robotics 1 10
 Relation between link axes
axis of joint i
link i-1

link i
D

C
axis of link i-1 axis of link i
'$
&i
d i = distance CD (a variable if joint i is prismatic)
with sign
& i = angle (a variable if joint i is revolute) between link axes (pos/neg)!
[projected on a plane ' orthogonal to the joint axis]
Robotics 1 11
 Frame assignment
by Denavit-Hartenberg (DH)
joint axis joint axis joint axis
i-1 i i+1
link i-1
link i

frame RFi is
attached to link i #i
zi
ai
di zi-1
xi-1 Oi xi
&i
Oi-1
common normal
to joint axes
axis around which the link rotates i and i+1
or along which the link slides
Robotics 1 12
 Denavit-Hartenberg parameters
axis of joint axis of joint axis of joint
i-1 i i+1
link i
link i-1 #i
D zi
•  ai
di zi-1
xi-1 Oi xi
&i
Oi-1

!  unit vector zi along axis of joint i+1

!  unit vector xi along the common normal to joint i and i+1 axes (i ( i+1)
!  ai = distance DOi – positive if oriented as xi (constant = “length” of link i)
!  di = distance Oi-1D – positive if oriented as zi-1 (variable if joint i is PRISMATIC)
!  #i = twist angle between zi-1 and zi around xi (constant)
!  &i = angle between xi-1 and xi around zi-i (variable if joint i is REVOLUTE)
Robotics 1 13
 Homogeneous transformation
between DH frames (from framei-1 to framei)

!  roto-translation around and along zi-1

c&i -s&i 0 0 1 0 0 0 c&i -s&i 0 0
i-1A (q ) =
s&i c&i 0 0 0 1 0 0 s&i c&i 0 0
i’ i 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 di = 0 0 1 di
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

rotational joint ) qi = &i prismatic joint ) qi = di

!  roto-translation around and along xi

1 0 0 ai
i’A =
0 c#i -s#i 0 always a
i 0 s#i c#i 0 constant matrix
0 0 0 1
Robotics 1 15
 Denavit-Hartenberg matrix

c&i -c#i s&i s#i s&i aic&i

i-1A (q ) = i-1A (q ) i’A =
s&i c#i c&i -s#i c&i ais&i
i i i’ i i 0 s#i c#i di
0 0 0 1

compact notation: c = cos, s = sin

Robotics 1 16
 Direct kinematics of manipulators
description “internal” yE slide s
to the robot
using:
zE approach a
•  product 0A1(q1) 1A2(q2)…n-1An(qn)
•  q=(q1,…,qn) xE normal n
z0

y0
RFB
“external” description using
x0 •  r = (r1,…,rm)
R p = nsa p
BT = BT 0A (q ) 1A (q ) …n-1An(qn) nTE •  BTE=
E 0 1 1 2 2
000 1 000 1
r = fr(q)

Robotics 1
alternative descriptions of robot direct kinematics 17
 Example: SCARA robot

q3

q2

q1
q4

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 Step 1: joint axes

all parallel
(or coincident)

twists # i = 0
or % J3 prismatic
≡
J1 shoulder J4 revolute
J2 elbow

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 Step 2: link axes

the vertical “heights”

of the link axes
are arbitrary
(for the time being)
a2 a3 = 0
a1

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 Step 3: frames

z1

x1 z2 = z3
yi axes for i > 0
are not shown
(and not needed; x2
they form
x3
right-handed frames) x4
z0 z4 = a axis
(approach)
y0
x0

Robotics 1 21
 Step 4: DH parameters table

i # i$ ai di &i
z1
1 0 a1 d1 q1
x1 z2 = z3
2 0 a2 0 q2
x2
3 0 0 q3 0
x3
x4 4 % 0 d4 q4
z0 z4

y0 note: d1 and d4 could have been chosen = 0 !

x0
moreover, here it is d4 < 0 !!
Robotics 1 22
 Step 5: transformation matrices
c&1 - s&1 0 a1c&1
0A (q )= s&1 c&1 0 a1s&1
1 1
0 0 1 d1
0 0 0 1
1 0 0 0
c&2 - s&2 0 a2c&2
2A (q )= 0 1 0 0
1A (q )= s&2 c&2 0 a2s&2 3 3
0 0 1 d3
2 2
0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1
0 0 0 1
c&4 s&4 0 0
q = (q1, q2, q3, q4) 3A (q )= s&4 -c&4 0 0
4 4
0 0 -1 d4
= (&1, &2, d3, &4) 0 0 0 1

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 Step 6: direct kinematics
c12 -s12 0 a1c1+ a2c12
0A (q ,q ,q )= s12 c12 0 a1s1+ a2s12
3 1 2 3
0 0 1 d1+q3
0 0 0 1

c4 s4 0 0
3A (q )= s4 -c4 0 0
4 4
0 0 -1 d4
0 0 0 1

c124 s124 0
R(q1,q2,q4)=[ n s a ] a1c1+ a2c12
0A (q ,q ,q ,q )= s124 -c124 0 a1s1+ a2s12 p = p(q1,q2,q3)
4 1 2 3 4
0 0 -1 d1+q3+d4
0 0 0 1
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 Robotics 1

Differential kinematics

Prof. Alessandro De Luca

Robotics 1 1
 Differential kinematics

  “relationship between motion (velocity) in the

joint space and motion (linear and angular
velocity) in the task (Cartesian) space”
  instantaneous velocity mappings can be obtained
through time derivation of the direct kinematics
function or geometrically at the differential level
  different treatments arise for rotational quantities
  establish the link between angular velocity and
  time derivative of a rotation matrix

  time derivative of the angles in a minimal

representation of orientation
Robotics 1 2
 Linear and angular velocity
of the robot end-effector
. ω
.
ω2 = z1θ2 ωn = zn-1θn v
.
ω1 = z0θ1
.
v3 = z2 d3 .
ωi = zi-1θi r = (p,φ)
alternative definitions
of the e-e direct kinematics R p
T=
000 1

  v and ω are “vectors”, namely elements of vector spaces: they can be

obtained as the sum of contributions of the joint velocities (in any order)
  on the other hand, φ (and dφ/dt) is not an element of a vector space: a
minimal representation of a sequence of rotations is not obtained by
summing the corresponding minimal representations (angles φ)
in general, ω ≠ dφ/dt
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 Finite and infinitesimal translations
  finiteΔx, Δy, Δz or infinitesimal dx, dy, dz translations
(linear displacements) always commute

z Δy Δz
z

y = y
x
x
Δz Δy
same final
position

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 Finite rotations do not commute
example
z z
initial φ X = 90°
orientation
y y

x x
mathematical fact: ω is
NOT an exact differential form φ Z = 90°
z (the integral of ω over time
z
depends on the integration path!)

φ Z = 90° y
z
y
x
x φ X = 90° different final
orientations
y
x note: finite rotations still commute when
Robotics 1 made around the same fixed axis 6
 Infinitesimal rotations commute!
  infinitesimal rotations dφX, dφY, dφZ around x,y,z axes
1 0 0 1 0 0
RX(φX) = 0 cos φX -sin φX RX(dφX) = 0 1 -dφX
0 sin φX cos φX 0 dφX 1

cos φY 0 sin φY 1 0 dφ Y
RY(φY) = 0 1 0 RY(dφY) = 0 1 0
-sin φY 0 cos φY -dφ Y 0 1

cos φZ -sin φZ
0 1 -dφ Z 0
RZ(φZ) = sin φZ cos φZ
0 RZ(dφZ) = dφ Z 1 0
0 0 1 0 0 1
neglecting
1 -dφz dφY second- and
  R(dφ) = R(dφX, dφY, dφZ) = dφz 1 -dφX third-order
(infinitesimal)
-dφY dφX 1 terms
in any sequence
Robotics 1
= I + S(dφ) 7
 Time derivative of a rotation matrix
  let R = R(t) be a rotation matrix, given as a function of time
  since I = R(t)RT(t), taking the time derivative of both sides yields
0 = d[R(t)RT(t)]/dt = dR(t)/dt RT(t) + R(t) dRT(t)/dt
= dR(t)/dt RT(t) + [dR(t)/dt RT(t)]T
thus dR(t)/dt RT(t) = S(t) is a skew-symmetric matrix

  let p(t) = R(t)p’ a vector (with constant norm) rotated over time
  comparing
ω
dp(t)/dt = dR(t)/dt p’ = S(t)R(t) p’ = S(t) p(t)
dp(t)/dt = ω(t) × p(t) = S(ω(t)) p(t) p
.
we get S = S(ω) p
. .
R = S(ω) R S(ω) = R RT
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 Robot Jacobian matrices

  analytical Jacobian (obtained by time differentiation)

p . p ∂fr(q) . .
r= = fr(q) r= . = q = Jr(q) q
φ φ ∂q

  geometric Jacobian (no derivatives)

.
v p JL(q) . .
= = q = J(q) q
ω ω JA(q)

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 Geometric Jacobian
always a 6 x n matrix
end-effector v .
JL(q) . JL1(q) … JLn(q) q1
instantaneous E = q=

…
velocity ωE JA(q) J (q) … J (q)
A1 An
.
qn

superposition of effects
. . . .
vE = JL1(q) q1 +…+ JLn(q) qn ωE = JA1(q) q1 +…+ JAn(q) qn

contribution to the linear contribution to the angular

. .
e-e velocity due to q1 e-e velocity due to q1

linear and angular velocity belong to

(linear) vector spaces in R3

Robotics 1 14
 Contribution of a prismatic joint
Note: joints beyond the i-th one are considered to be “frozen”, . .
so that the distal part of the robot is a single rigid body JLi(q) qi = zi-1 di

zi-1
E

prismatic
i-th joint
. .
JLi(q) qi zi-1 di
qi = di
.
JAi(q) qi 0
RF0

Robotics 1 15
 Contribution of a revolute joint
.
JLi(q) qi . .
JAi(q) qi = zi-1 θi

zi-1

Oi-1 •  pi-1,E

qi = θi revolute
i-th joint
. .
JLi(q) qi (zi-1 × pi-1,E) θi
RF0 .
.
JAi(q) qi zi-1 θi

Robotics 1 16
 Expression of geometric Jacobian
. .
p0,E vE JL(q) . JL1(q) … JLn(q) q1
( =) = q=

…
ωE ωE JA(q) J (q) … J (q)
A1 An
.
qn

prismatic revolute this can be also

i-th joint i-th joint computed as
∂p0,E
JLi(q) zi-1 zi-1 × pi-1,E =
∂qi

JAi(q) 0 zi-1

0 all vectors should be

zi-1 = 0R (q )…i-2R (q )
1 1 i-1 i-1 0
1 expressed in the same
reference frame
pi-1,E = p0,E(q1,…,qn) - p0,i-1(q1,…,qi-1) (here, the base frame RF0)

Robotics 1 17
 Robot Jacobian
decomposition in linear subspaces and duality

space of space of
joint velocities J task (Cartesian)
velocities

0 0
ℵ(J) ℜ(J)
dual spaces

dual spaces
ℜ(JT) + ℵ(J) = Rn ℜ(J) + ℵ(JT) = Rm

ℜ(JT) ℵ(JT)
0 0

space of
space of
task (Cartesian)
joint torques JT forces

Robotics 1
(in a given configuration q) 26
 Mobility analysis
  ρ(J) = ρ(J(q)), ℜ(J) = ℜ(J(q)), ℵ(JT)= ℵ(JT(q)) are locally defined, i.e.,
they depend on the current configuration q
  ℜ(J(q)) = subspace of all “generalized” velocities (with linear and/or
angular components) that can be instantaneously realized by the robot
end-effector when varying the joint velocities in the configuration q
  if J(q) has max rank (typically = m) in the configuration q, the robot
end-effector can be moved in any direction of the task space Rm
  if ρ(J(q)) < m, there exist directions in Rm along which the robot end-
effector cannot instantaneously move
  these directions lie in ℵ(JT(q)), namely the complement of ℜ(J(q)) to the
task space Rm, which is of dimension m - ρ(J(q))
  when ℵ(J(q)) ≠ {0} (this is always the case if m<n, i.e., in robots that
are redundant for the task), there exist non-zero joint velocities that
produce zero end-effector velocity (“self motions”)

Robotics 1 27
 Kinematic singularities
  configurations where the Jacobian loses rank
⇔ loss of instantaneous mobility of the robot end-effector
  for m=n, they correspond in general to Cartesian poses that lead to a
number of inverse kinematic solutions that differs from the “generic” case
  “in” a singular configuration, one cannot find a joint velocity that realizes
a desired end-effector velocity in an arbitrary direction of the task space
  “close” to a singularity, large joint velocities may be needed to realize
some (even small) velocity of the end-effector
  finding and analyzing in advance all singularities of a robot helps in
avoiding them during trajectory planning and motion control
  when m = n: find the configurations q such that det J(q) = 0
  when m < n: find the configurations q such that all m×m minors of J are
singular (or, equivalently, such that det [J(q) JT(q)] = 0)
  finding all singular configurations of a robot with a large number of joints,
or the actual “distance” from a singularity, is a hard computational task

Robotics 1 28