Mysore University School of Engineering
8J99+QC7, Manasa Gangothiri, Mysuru, Karnataka 570006
Fundamentals of Robotics and its Programming
(21BR563)
MODULE 03 NOTES
Prepared by: Mr Thanmay J S, Assistant Professor, Bio-Medical & Robotics Engineering, UoM, SoE, Mysore 57006
Mysore University School of Engineering
8J99+QC7, Manasa Gangothiri, Mysuru, Karnataka 570006
Module 03: Course Content
3.0 Robot Arm Kinematics
3.1 Introduction to manipulator kinematics,
3.2 Robot position representation,
3.3 Forward transformation of a 2-degree of freedom Arm,
3.4 Reverse Transformation of the 2-Degree of freedom Arm.
3.5 Robot Arm Dynamics:
3.6 Introduction to robot arm dynamics,
3.7 understanding of Dynamics using Euler-Lagrangian-formation method.
3.8 Definition of D-H parameter.
Prepared by: Mr Thanmay J S, Assistant Professor, Bio-Medical & Robotics Engineering, UoM, SoE, Mysore 57006
Mysore University School of Engineering
8J99+QC7, Manasa Gangothiri, Mysuru, Karnataka 570006
3.0 Robot Arm Kinematics
Robot arm kinematics is the study of the motion of robot arms without considering the forces that cause them.
Kinematics focuses on the geometry of motion, specifically the positioning, orientation, and velocity of a
robotic arm's components (links, joints, and end-effectors) in space. It is a foundational aspect of robotics, as
it helps determine how to control the movement of the arm to achieve desired positions and orientations of the
end-effector (e.g., a tool or gripper).
3.1 Introduction to Manipulator Kinematics
Manipulator kinematics deals with the analysis of robotic manipulators (arms), focusing on the relationship
between joint angles and the position and orientation of the end-effector. Manipulators usually have multiple
degrees of freedom (DOF), with each joint providing one degree of freedom. The kinematics of a manipulator
can be divided into two primary categories:
1. Forward Kinematics (FK): It calculates the position and orientation of the end-effector based on the
joint parameters (angles or displacements).
2. Inverse Kinematics (IK): It calculates the joint parameters needed to reach a desired position and
orientation of the end-effector.
3.2 Robot Position Representation
The position and orientation of the robot arm are typically represented in a 3D coordinate system. The
following concepts are often used for this representation:
1. Homogeneous Coordinates: A 4x4 matrix representation that combines both rotation and translation
in one matrix.
2. Transformation Matrix: A matrix that represents the transformation between different coordinate
systems (e.g., base, joints, end-effector).
3. Rotation Matrix: A 3x3 matrix used to represent rotation, which operates on a vector to rotate it in
space.
4. Position Vector: A 3D vector representing the position of a point in space relative to a reference frame.
Prepared by: Mr Thanmay J S, Assistant Professor, Bio-Medical & Robotics Engineering, UoM, SoE, Mysore 57006
Mysore University School of Engineering
8J99+QC7, Manasa Gangothiri, Mysuru, Karnataka 570006
3.3 Forward Transformation of a 2-Degree of Freedom (DOF) Arm
In a 2-DOF robotic arm, forward transformation is the process of determining the position and orientation of
the end-effector based on known joint angles (θ₁ and θ₂) and link lengths (L₁ and L₂).
1. Link Lengths: L₁ and L₂ are the lengths of the two links of the arm.
2. Joint Angles: θ₁ and θ₂ are the angles at which the joints rotate.
The forward transformation for a 2-DOF arm can be computed using basic
trigonometry. Using the Denavit-Hartenberg (DH) parameters, the position and
orientation of the end-effector can be derived by multiplying transformation
matrices associated with each joint.
For a 2-DOF planar arm, the transformation matrices for each joint are:
To find the final position of the end-effector, we multiply these matrices:
This yields the position and orientation of the end-effector in the base coordinate frame.
3.4 Reverse Transformation of the 2-Degree of Freedom Arm
Inverse kinematics (reverse transformation) is the process of finding the
joint angles (θ₁ and θ₂) required to achieve a desired position and
orientation for the end-effector.
For a 2-DOF planar arm, given the desired position (x, y) of the end-
effector, we can use trigonometric relationships to solve for θ₁ and θ₂. The
position of the end-effector is the result of a combination of rotations and
translations:
These joint angles allow the arm to reach the desired (x, y) position. Note that inverse kinematics can have
multiple solutions, so additional constraints may be needed to choose the correct one.
Prepared by: Mr Thanmay J S, Assistant Professor, Bio-Medical & Robotics Engineering, UoM, SoE, Mysore 57006
Mysore University School of Engineering
8J99+QC7, Manasa Gangothiri, Mysuru, Karnataka 570006
3.5 Robot Arm Dynamics
Robot arm dynamics refers to the study of the forces and torques acting on a robotic arm as it moves and
interacts with its environment. It’s a critical area in robotics that helps understand and predict the movement
and control of the arm in a wide range of tasks. It involves two primary components: kinematics and kinetics
1. Kinematics:
This focuses on the geometry of motion, describing how the arm moves without considering the forces behind
the movement. It deals with:
• Position, velocity, and acceleration: These describe the state of the robot arm’s joints and links in space.
• Forward Kinematics: Given joint angles, the end effector's position and orientation are determined.
• Inverse Kinematics: Given the desired position and orientation of the end effector, the required joint
angles are calculated.
2. Kinetics:
This part deals with the forces and torques that cause the movement, based on Newton’s laws or Lagrangian
mechanics. It includes:
• Newton-Euler equations: These describe the motion of a robot arm considering forces and torques.
• Dynamic model: A set of equations that relate the joint torques/forces to the acceleration of the arm. It
includes parameters such as:
o Inertia: The resistance of the arm's segments to changes in motion.
o Coriolis forces: Forces that arise from the rotation of the arm’s joints.
o Gravitational forces: The forces due to the arm's weight acting in the gravitational field.
o Friction: Resistance between moving parts of the arm and the surrounding environment.
3.6 Introduction to Robot Arm Dynamics
Robot arm dynamics involves the study of the forces and
torques that cause the motion of a robotic arm. Unlike
kinematics, which ignores forces, dynamics considers the
effects of external forces (e.g., gravity, friction, and
interaction forces) and the arm's inertial properties (masses,
link lengths, and moments of inertia). Understanding
dynamics is crucial for tasks like control, simulation, and
optimization of robot arm movement.
Robot arm dynamics can be described by the Euler-Lagrange equations or Newton-Euler formulations,
which provide a mathematical framework for modeling the motion and control of robotic systems.
Prepared by: Mr Thanmay J S, Assistant Professor, Bio-Medical & Robotics Engineering, UoM, SoE, Mysore 57006
Mysore University School of Engineering
8J99+QC7, Manasa Gangothiri, Mysuru, Karnataka 570006
3.7 Understanding of Dynamics Using Euler-Lagrangian Formation Method
The Euler-Lagrangian method is a powerful technique used to model the
dynamics of mechanical systems. It involves formulating the system's equations
of motion using the Lagrangian function, which is the difference between the
kinetic energy (T) and the potential energy (V) of the system:
Steps to derive the equations of motion for a robot arm using the Euler-Lagrangian method:
1. Kinetic Energy (T): The total kinetic energy of the system is the sum of the kinetic energies of all the
individual links of the robot arm. The kinetic energy of each link is given by:
where 𝑚𝑖 is the mass, 𝑟𝑖̇ is the velocity of the link, and 𝑀𝑖 is the inertia matrix of the link.
2. Potential Energy (V): The potential energy is typically due to gravity and is given by:
where ℎ𝑖 the height of the link's center of mass relative to the ground.
3. Lagrangian Function (L): After computing T and V, the Lagrangian function is:
4. Equations of Motion: The equations of motion for each degree of freedom are derived by applying the
Euler-Lagrange equation:
where 𝑞𝑖 is the generalized coordinate (joint angle), 𝑞𝑖̇ is the generalized velocity, and 𝜏𝑖 is the generalized
force (torque applied at the joint).
This method results in a set of differential equations that describe the motion of the robot arm under the
influence of forces and torques.
3.8 Definition of D-H Parameter
The Denavit-Hartenberg (D-H) parameters are a standardized method to represent the relative
transformations between consecutive links of a robot arm. The D-H convention involves four parameters:
1. 𝜽𝒊 : The joint angle (rotation about the z-axis of joint i).
2. 𝒅𝒊 : The link offset (translation along the z-axis between consecutive joints).
3. 𝒂𝒊 : The link length (distance between consecutive z-axes along the x-axis).
4. 𝜶𝒊 : The link twist (angle between the z-axes of consecutive joints, measured around the x-axis).
The D-H parameters are used to create a transformation matrix for each joint, which can then be multiplied to
compute the overall transformation from the base frame to the end-effector frame. This systematic approach
simplifies the process of deriving the forward kinematics and inverse kinematics for robotic arms.
The transformation matrix for each joint using the D-H parameters is:
These matrices are multiplied together to compute the overall transformation for a robot arm with multiple
joints.
Prepared by: Mr Thanmay J S, Assistant Professor, Bio-Medical & Robotics Engineering, UoM, SoE, Mysore 57006
Mysore University School of Engineering
8J99+QC7, Manasa Gangothiri, Mysuru, Karnataka 570006
Modal Questions
3-4 Marks Questions
1) Explain Robot Arm Kinematics
2) Explain types of manipulator kinematics
3) Explain the concepts of Robot position representation,
4) Explain the components of Robot Arm Dynamics
5) Explain the difference between Kinematics and Kinetics
6) Write a note on Definition of D-H parameter.
8-10 Marks Questions
1) Explain Forward and Reverse transformation of a 2-degree of freedom Arm,
2) Explain Robot Arm Dynamics using Euler-Lagrangian-formation method.
Prepared by: Mr Thanmay J S, Assistant Professor, Bio-Medical & Robotics Engineering, UoM, SoE, Mysore 57006
