EE-381 Robotics-1

UG ELECTIVE

Lecture 5
Dr. Hafsa Iqbal
Department of Electrical Engineering,
School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science,
National University of Sciences and Technology,
Pakistan
Denavit-Hartenberg (DH) Notation
• Developed a general theory to describe an articulated
sequence of joints.
• Each joint in the robot is described by four parameters.
• Only applicable to serial link mechanisms NOT parallel
mechanisms

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DH Parameters

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Summary of link-frame attachment procedure
The following is a summary of the procedure to follow when faced with a
new mechanism, in order to properly attach the link frames:
1. Identify the joint axes and imagine (or draw) infinite lines along them.
steps 2 through 5 below, consider two of these neighboring lines (at
axes 𝑖 and 𝑖 + 1).
2. Identify the common perpendicular between them, or point of
intersection. At the point of intersection,
𝑡ℎ
or at the point where the
common perpendicular meets the 𝑖 axis, assign the link-frame
origin.
3. Assign the 𝑍𝑖 axis pointing along the 𝑖 𝑡ℎ joint axis.
4. Assign the 𝑋𝑖 axis pointing along the common perpendicular, or, if the
axis intersect, assign 𝑋𝑖 to be normal to the plane containing the two
axis.
5. Assign the 𝑌𝑖 axis to complete a right-hand coordinate system.
6. Assign {0} to match {1} when the first joint variable is zero. For {N},
choose an origin location and 𝑋𝑁 direction freely, but generally so as to
cause as many linkage parameters as possible to become zero.

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General Form of Link Transformations

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Concatenating Link Transformations
• Single transformation that relates frame {N} to frame {0}

𝑇𝑁0 = 𝑇10 𝑇21 𝑇32 … 𝑇𝑁𝑁−1

This transformation, 𝑇𝑁0 , will be a function of all n joints

variables. If the robot’s joint-position sensors are required,
the Cartesian position and orientation of the last link can
be computed by 𝑇𝑁0

Concatenating Link Transformations Figure on slide 6

(Section 3.5)

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Example 1
Find DH parameters for the
manipulator with RRR configuration

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Example 1

𝐿2

𝐿1

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Example 2
Find DH parameters for the manipulator with RPR
configuration

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Example 2

𝐿1

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SCARA

𝛼𝑖−1 𝑎𝑖−1 𝑑𝑖 𝜃𝑖

1 0 0 0 𝜃1

2 0 𝑎1 0 𝜃2

3 0 𝑎2 𝑑3 0

4 0 0 0 𝜃3

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SCARA
• Link Transformation of SCARA

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General Form

Joint link link

angles offsets twists

link Joint
lengths types

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Standard Frames

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Reading Assignment
• Section 3.7 of Introduction to Robotics (Craig)
• The PUMA 560
• The Yasukawa Motoman 𝐿 − 3

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Degree of Freedom (DOF)
• DOF is defined as the number of independent
parameters required to specify the location of every link
within a mechanism

• 6-DOF→ 𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚

• Each joint has 1 −DOF

• Mobile robots, Airplanes

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Inverse Kinematics (IK)

• How to compute the position of each joint given the end

–effector pose?

• How to generate smooth paths/trajectories for the end-

effector?

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Inverse Kinematics (IK)
• What joint angles to set to achieve a certain end-effector
pose.

ξ𝑁 = 𝒦 𝒒

𝒒 = 𝑞𝒋 , 𝑗 ∈ 1 … 𝑁

𝒒 = 𝒦 −1 ξ𝑁

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IK for 2 Joint Arm- Geometric Approach

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IK for 2 Joint Arm- Geometric Approach

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IK for 2 Joint Arm- Geometric Approach

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IK for 2 Joint Arm- Geometric Approach

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IK for 2 Joint Arm- Geometric Approach

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IK for 2 Joint Arm- Geometric Approach

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IK for 2 Joint Arm- Geometric Approach

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IK for 2 Joint Arm- Geometric Approach

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IK for 2 Joint Arm- Geometric Approach

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IK for 2 Joint Arm- Geometric Approach

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IK for 2 Joint Arm- Geometric Approach

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IK for 2 Joint Arm- Geometric Approach

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IK for 2 Joint Arm- Analytic Approach

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IK for 2 Joint Arm- Analytical Approach

𝑥2

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IK for 2 Joint Arm- Analytical Approach

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IK for 2 Joint Arm- Analytical Approach

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IK for 2 Joint Arm- Analytical Approach

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IK for 2 Joint Arm- Analytical Approach

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Tangent Functions

• Inverse tangent vs arc tangent (atan2)

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IK for General Robot Arm in 3D

• 6-DOF puma robot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjOhGqOHfhg
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IK for General Robot Arm in 3D

• Multiple possible configurations

• Left/right handed

• Elbow up/down

• Wrist position

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Robot Arm Configuration Change
• A characteristic of inverse kinematics is that there is
often more than one solution, that is, more than one set
of joint angles gives exactly the same end-effector pose
• The end point remains the same whereas joint angles
need to adjust themselves
• How robot move from one configuration to other? Or
more specifically can we compute the trajectory for
configuration change?
• Example case from left handed configuration to right
hand configuration or vice versa.

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