pytransform3d: 3D Transformations for Python

Abstract

pytransform3d is a Python library for transformations in three dimensions. Heterogenous software systems that consist of proprietary and open source software are often combined when we work with transformations. For example, suppose you want to transfer a trajectory demonstrated by a human to a robot. The human trajectory could be measured from an RGB-D camera, fused with inertial measurement units that are attached to the human, and then translated to joint angles by inverse kinematics. That involves at least three different software systems that might all use different conventions for transformations. Sometimes even one software uses more than one convention. The following aspects are of crucial importance to glue and debug transformations in systems with heterogenous and often incompatible software: