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ME 240_Lecture_4_notes

The lecture discusses the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of rotation matrices, emphasizing the independent entries in the rotation matrix and the challenges of visualizing rotations. It highlights the relationship between rotation matrices and Euler angles, providing a procedure for obtaining Euler angles from a rotation matrix. The lecture also notes the importance of choosing appropriate conventions for representing orientation differences in practical applications.

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8 views

ME 240_Lecture_4_notes

The lecture discusses the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of rotation matrices, emphasizing the independent entries in the rotation matrix and the challenges of visualizing rotations. It highlights the relationship between rotation matrices and Euler angles, providing a procedure for obtaining Euler angles from a rotation matrix. The lecture also notes the importance of choosing appropriate conventions for representing orientation differences in practical applications.

Uploaded by

rajnishc
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Notes for

Lecture#4

Eigen values of R

Solve this equation


to obtain the eigen-
vector
This part is NOT
corresponding to
related to the main
eigen-value 1
content of the
class. This was
Viewing rotation matix as a discussed in
rotation operator, in a response to a
manner analogous to student's question
viewing exp(i*theta) as a
rotation operator
How many of the 9
entries of R are
independent?

Imagining the 3 equations for


3 independent magnitude=1
entries in the
form of 3
direction
cosines is
non-intuitive
for humans,
though
computers
would be able
to use them.
How can we only 3 entries are
picture the independent!
rotation matrix
better?

3 equations for
orthogonality

This is a much
better way to
picture the
orientation
difference!

Notice 3
independent
entries here as
well: one angle, 2
independent
entries for direction
Example 1: The
direction k for
rotation matrix
R_z(theta) would
be the Z-axis and
the angle would be
theta

The theta in the


eigen-value of R
(first page) is
identical to the
theta mentioned in
Euler's rotation
theorem

Procedure to obtain
k: solve the equation
on the right

Rotating about an arbitrary k axis is Notice that this is


practically impossible, though mathematically an eigen-value
useful. Generally, the actuators we use problem
enable rotation about only 1 direction. So, a
more practically useful picture is given below

Simplest choice for


the 3 axes
Example of aircraft
attitude control to
showcase that
fixed-axes
rotations are not
often useful in
practice.

Rotations about
axes of
intermediate
frames, with one
rotation about an
axis in each frame
Procedure to relate
R to the Euler
angles

Expansion of R (of
B w.r.t A) in terms
of Euler angles

Note definitions!

Equations to obtain Euler


angles given R
There are 12 Euler angle
conventions and 12 fixed
angle conventions for
picturing the orientation
difference between A and
B frames. How to choose
one for a problem?

Choose a
convention that
most naturally
suggests itself for
the problem. For
example, in case of
a symmetric top
spinning about the
vertical, it is natural
to choose the axis
of spin as the Z-
axis of the B-
frame. Based on
this choice, the
convention most
natural to the
problem is the Z-X-
Z convention

Notice that this


cannot be a
general convention
since rotation
about Z axis
consecutively
cannot enable
representing a
general orientation

Reference:
A. Ghosal, Robotics: Fundamental Concepts and Analysis, Oxford University Press, 2006

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