Kinematics
Related papers: 20
About
Kinematics is the branch of mechanics that describes the motion of bodies — positions, velocities, and accelerations — without considering the forces that cause them. In robotics, kinematics governs how a robot's configuration in space relates to its joint variables. Forward kinematics determines the end-effector pose given a set of joint angles, while inverse kinematics solves the reverse problem: finding joint configurations that achieve a desired end-effector position and orientation. These relationships are expressed through transformation matrices, Denavit-Hartenberg parameters, and Jacobians, which also capture velocity relationships between joint and task spaces. Kinematics applies across robotic systems — serial manipulators, parallel robots, mobile platforms, continuum robots, and wearable exoskeletons — and underpins higher-level capabilities such as motion planning, trajectory generation, and real-time control. Understanding kinematics is foundational because virtually every robotics task, from obstacle avoidance to rehabilitation assistance, depends on accurately knowing where a robot's body is and how its motion relates to actuator commands. Without kinematic models, precise, safe, and purposeful robot movement would be impossible.
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Real-time obstacle avoidance for manipulators and mobile robots
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Real-Time Obstacle Avoidance for Manipulators and Mobile Robots
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Structural properties and classification of kinematic and dynamic models of wheeled mobile robots
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Robot-assisted movement training compared with conventional therapy techniques for the rehabilitation of upper-limb motor function after stroke
Peter S. Lum, Charles G. Burgar, P. Shor, Matra Majmundar, H. F. Machiel Van der Loos
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