EXERCISES ROBOT KINEMATICS

1- The robot in the figure is a SCARA model. Reference systems have been attached onto
it according to the Denavit-Hartemberg convention. The corresponding parameters are
presented in the table(the ones that
z0 z1 are variables written in red). It is worth
z2
noting that the distance d3 has been
a1 a2
defined as negative so that it adds up
to d4 and both point out towards the
-d3 table.

Link ai αi di θi
z3
1 a1 0 0 θ1
d4 2 a2 0 0 θ2
3 0 π -d3 0
z4 4 0 0 d4 0
And the transform representing the
end-effector position is:
𝑐𝑐12 𝑠𝑠12 0 𝑎𝑎1 𝑐𝑐1 + 𝑎𝑎2 𝑐𝑐12 𝑟𝑟11 𝑟𝑟12 𝑟𝑟13 𝑝𝑝𝑥𝑥
𝑠𝑠 −𝑐𝑐12 0 𝑎𝑎1 𝑠𝑠1 + 𝑎𝑎2 𝑠𝑠12 𝑟𝑟 𝑟𝑟22 𝑟𝑟23 𝑝𝑝𝑦𝑦
𝑇𝑇40 = � 12 � = � 21 �
0 0 −1 −𝑑𝑑3 − 𝑑𝑑4 𝑟𝑟31 𝑟𝑟32 𝑟𝑟33 𝑝𝑝𝑧𝑧
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
Now you are asked to:

a) Calculate the position and orientation of the end-effector if a1 = 360 mm, a2 = 270 mm, d4
= 120 mm and the variables take the values θ1 = 52°, θ2 = -31° and d3 = 85 mm.
b) Find the inverse solution in this case. Give the equations to use in order to determine θ1, θ2
and d3. Also, give the two possible solutions that correspond to the same position of the
end-effector in this case.

2- The drawing represents a spherical arm. The corresponding parameters are defined in
the table.

Link ai αi di θi
1 0 -π/2 0 θ1
2 0 π/2 d2 = 150 mm θ2
3 0 0 d3 0
a) Suppose that we move the joints so
that θ1 = 135°, θ2 = 35° and d3 = 85 mm. Give the
position of the end-effector and its orientation
using the Euler ZYZ convention.
𝑐𝑐1 𝑐𝑐2 −𝑠𝑠1 𝑐𝑐1 𝑠𝑠2 𝑐𝑐1 𝑠𝑠2 𝑑𝑑3 − 𝑠𝑠1 𝑑𝑑2
𝑠𝑠 𝑐𝑐 𝑐𝑐1 𝑠𝑠1 𝑠𝑠2 𝑠𝑠1 𝑠𝑠2 𝑑𝑑3 + 𝑐𝑐1 𝑑𝑑2
𝑇𝑇30 = � 1 2 �
−𝑠𝑠2 0 𝑐𝑐2 𝑐𝑐2 𝑑𝑑3
0 0 0 1
b) Give another set of joint variables θ1 ,
θ2 and d3 that can place the end-effector in the
same position and orientation.
3- The three link planar arm robot of the figure has a jacobian matrix that relates the
angular velocities of its joints to the velocities of its end-effector.

𝑝𝑝̇𝑥𝑥 −𝑎𝑎1 𝑠𝑠1 − 𝑎𝑎2 𝑠𝑠12 − 𝑎𝑎3 𝑠𝑠123 −𝑎𝑎2 𝑠𝑠12 − 𝑎𝑎3 𝑠𝑠123 −𝑎𝑎3 𝑠𝑠123 𝜃𝜃̇1
�𝑝𝑝̇𝑦𝑦 � = � 𝑎𝑎1 𝑐𝑐1 + 𝑎𝑎2 𝑐𝑐12 + 𝑎𝑎3 𝑐𝑐123 𝑎𝑎2 𝑐𝑐12 + 𝑎𝑎3 𝑐𝑐123 𝑎𝑎3 𝑐𝑐123 � �𝜃𝜃̇2 �
𝜑𝜑̇ 1 1 1 𝜃𝜃̇3
Suppose that a1 = 340 mm, a2 = 260 mm and a3 = 200 mm and that the robot is positioned so
that θ1 = -15°, θ2 = 66° and θ3 = -22°.

a) In the case of 𝜃𝜃̇1 = 2 rad/s, 𝜃𝜃̇2 = 1.3 rad/s and 𝜃𝜃̇3 = -0,8 rad/s, give the velocity vector of the
end-effector.
b) Use the transpose of the jacobian to solve for the torques to be applied at each joint in
order to resist a load of Fx = 289,8 N, Fy = -77,7 N and Mz = 0 Nmm applied on the end-
effector.

𝑇𝑇1 𝐹𝐹𝑥𝑥
𝑇𝑇 𝐹𝐹
�𝑇𝑇2 � = 𝐽𝐽 � 𝑦𝑦 �
𝑇𝑇3 𝑀𝑀𝑧𝑧

c) Repeat the calculation of (a) if the robot is in a new position with θ1 = -15°, θ2 = 0° and θ3 =
180°. Can you draw any conclusion from the result?
d) Repeat the calculation of (b) if the robot is in a new position with θ1 = -15°, θ2 = 0° and θ3 =
180°. Here too, can you comment on the result?