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Lec28 Denavit Hartenberg Handout

The document summarizes the Denavit-Hartenberg (DH) convention for representing the kinematics of robot manipulators. The DH convention uses four parameters - link length (ai), link twist (αi), link offset (di), and joint angle (θi) - to describe the transformation from one link's coordinate frame to the next. It provides the DH transformation matrix equation and outlines the three step algorithm for applying DH parameters to perform forward kinematics: 1) assign coordinate frames to each link and joint, 2) generate a DH parameter table, 3) apply the DH transformation matrix to determine the end effector position and orientation.

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34 views3 pages

Lec28 Denavit Hartenberg Handout

The document summarizes the Denavit-Hartenberg (DH) convention for representing the kinematics of robot manipulators. The DH convention uses four parameters - link length (ai), link twist (αi), link offset (di), and joint angle (θi) - to describe the transformation from one link's coordinate frame to the next. It provides the DH transformation matrix equation and outlines the three step algorithm for applying DH parameters to perform forward kinematics: 1) assign coordinate frames to each link and joint, 2) generate a DH parameter table, 3) apply the DH transformation matrix to determine the end effector position and orientation.

Uploaded by

suraj7045sarman
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Denavit-Hartenberg (DH) Convention Handout

Pranav A. Bhounsule

The DH convention is a popular convention to represent the kinematics of robot manip-


ulators. It is given by

Hii−1 = Hz (θi )Hz (di )Hx (ai )Hx (αi )


    
cθi −sθi 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 ai 1 0 0 0
sθi cθi 0 0 0 0 0 0  0 0 0 0  0 cαi −sαi
  0
=0
  
0 1 0 0 0 0 di  0 0 0 0  0 sαi cαi 0
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
 
cθi −sθi cαi sθi sαi ai cθi
sθi cθi cαi −cθi sαi ai sθi 
=0
 (1)
sαi cαi di 
0 0 0 1

where sθi = sin θi , cθi = cos θi , sαi = sin αi , cθi = cos αi . These parameters are known as
link length ai , link twist αi , link offset di , and joint angle θi . Normally, it take 3 positions
and 3 orientations, a total of 6 numbers to describe a link, however, the DH uses only 4
numbers.
Figure 1 shows a pictorial view of the DH parameters. We can see that

1. ai is the distance between zi and zi−1 along xi .

2. αi is the angle between zi and zi−1 along xi .

3. di is the distance between xi−1 and xi along zi−1 .

4. θi is the angle between xi−1 and xi along zi−1 .

Algorithm for using DH for forward kinematics There are three steps.

1. Assign coordinate frames:

(a) Assign zi along the axis of actuation for each link, where i = 0, 1, 2, ...(n − 1).
(b) Assign the base frame o0 − x0 − y0 − z0 . The z0 has already been assigned. Assign
x0 arbitrarily. Assign y0 based on x0 and z0 using right hand rule.

1
Figure 1: Demonstration of the parameters ai αi di , and θi .

(c) Now assign coordinate frames oi − xi − yi − zi for i = 1, 2, ..., n − 1. zi is already


attached in first step. Next we assign xi using these rules.
i. zi−1 and zi are not coplanar: In this case, there is a unique shorted distance
segment that is perpendicular to zi−1 and zi . Choose this as xi axis. The
origin oi is where xi intersects zi . The yi is found from right hand rules.
ii. zi−1 and zi parallel: In this case, there infinitely many perpendiculars.
Choose any of these perpendiculars for xi . Furthermore, where xi intersects
zi we draw the origin xi . Finally, yi is found from the right hand rule. To
make equations simpler, choose xi such that is passes through oi−1 . This will
make di = 0. Also, since zi−1 is parallel to zi , αi = 0.
iii. zi−1 and zi intersect: In this case, xi is chosen to be normal to the plane
formed by zi−1 and zi . There will be two possible directions for xi , one of
them is chosen arbitrarily and oi is obtained by the intersection of z − i and
xi . Finally yi is obtained from right hand rule. Also, since zi−1 intersects zi ,
ai = 0.
(d) Finally we need to attach an end effector frame, on − xn − yn − zn . Attach zn to
be the same direction as zn−1 . Now depending on the relation between zn and
zn−1 , attach frame xn . Finally, attach yn using the right hand rule.

2. Generate a table for DH parameter: Now generate the DH table as follows.

Link ai αi di θi
1
2
.
.
.
n

2
Here is a cheat sheet to help populate the table

3. Apply DH transformation to evaluate forward kinematics: Finally, use the


DH formulate to link two adjacent frames
 
cθi −sθi cαi sθi sαi ai cθi
sθi cθi cαi −cθi sαi ai sθi 
Hi−1
i =0

sαi cαi di 
0 0 0 1

The position and orientation of the end-effector is found using the formula
 0 
0 0 1 2 n−1 Rn d0n
Hn = H1 H2 H3 ...Hn =
0 1

The position of the end-effector is d0n and the orientation is R0n . From R0n , we can
recover the Euler angles for the end-effector frame.

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