RPY Angles from Rotation Matrix

r21 S

r11 C

 r21 
  tan 1  
r
 11 

 r31 S

r112  r222 C

 r 
  tan  1
31 
 r2  r2 
 11 22 
Determine the roll, pitch, yaw angles and
displacement of a Cartesian-RPY robot for the
following end effector orientation and position

 nx ox ax px   0.354 0.674 0.649 4.33

n oy ay p y   0.505 0.722 0.475 2.5 
R
TP   y 
 nz oz az pz   0.788 0.160 0.595 8 
   
0 0 0 1  0 0 0 1 

Hence,
 r32 
  tan 1     550
r
 33 
r    520
  tan 1  21 
 r11 
  150
 r 
Px  4.33 Py  2.5
  tan 
1 31 
 r2  r2  Pz  8
 11 22 
 Euler angle sequence
• Three coordinates are necessary to
represent rotation. These three co-ordinates
are called Euler angles (typically denoted as
α, β, γ, or φ, θ, ψ )

• Twelve possible sequences of rotation axes,

divided in two groups:
• Proper Euler angles (z-x-z, x-y-x, y-z-y, z-
y-z, x-z-x, y-x-y)

• Tait–Bryan angles (x-y-z, y-z-x, z-x-y, x-z-y,

z-y-x, y-x-z).
 Proper Euler angles
Example: ZYZ Sequence
Forward and Inverse Kinematics Equations for
Chapter
Orientation 2
(b) Euler
Robot Kinematics: Angles
Position Analysis

Rotation of  about a-axis (z-axis of the moving frame) followed by

Rotation of  about o -axis (y-axis of the moving frame) followed by
Rotation of  about a-axis (z-axis of the moving frame).

Fig. Euler rotations about the

current axes.

Euler ( ,  , )  Rot(a,  ) Rot(o,  ) Rot(a, )

Forward and Inverse Kinematics Equations for
Chapter
Orientation 2
(b) Euler
Robot Kinematics: Angles
Position Analysis

C C C  S S C C S  S C C S 0
 S C C  C S  S C S  C C S S 0 
Euler ( , , )  
  S C S S C 0
 
 0 0 0 1
 Forward and Inverse Kinematics Equations for
Chapter
Orientation 2
(b) Euler Angles-
Robot Kinematics: Inverse
Position Analysis kinematics

Let the rotation matrix be,

 r11 r12 r13 

R10   r21 r22 r23 
 r31 r32 r33 

C C C  S S C C S  S C C S 
Euler ( ,  , )   S C C  C S  S C S  C C S S 
  S C S S C 
Forward and Inverse Kinematics Equations for
Chapter
Orientation 2
(b) Euler Angles-
Robot Kinematics: Inverse
Position Analysis kinematics

r32  S
 r23 S
r31 C 
r13 C

  r32   r23 
  tan 1     tan 1  
r
 31  r
 13 

r132  r232 S

r33 C

 r2  r2 
  tan 1  13 23 
 r33 
 
The final orientation of the hand of a Cartesian-
Euler robot is given below. Find the necessary
Euler angles.

 nx ox ax px   0.579 0.548 0.604 5

n oy ay p y   0.540 0.813 0.220 7 
R
TP   y 
 nz oz az pz   0.611 0.199 0.766 3
   
0 0 0 1  0 0 0 1
1  r23 
  tan  
 r13  Hence,
  200
 r2  r2 
  tan 1  13 23 
  180
 r33 
 
 r    400 or 400
  tan 1  32 
 r31 
 Euler angle Vs Fixed angle
• Euler angle

• Fixed angle
 1
The rotation matrix R2 relating the
orientation of frame 2 with respect to
frame 1 is given by
0.87 0.43 0.25 
1
R2   0.5 0.75 0.43
 0 0.50 0.87 

Determine the corresponding set of

ZYX Euler angles
Forward and Inverse
Chapter 2 Kinematics Equations
for Orientation
Robot Kinematics: Position Analysis

Roll, Pitch, Yaw(RPY) Angles

 Assumption : Robot is made of a Cartesian and an RPY set of joints.

R
TH  Tcart ( Px , Py , Pz )  RPY ( a , o , n )
 Assumption : Robot is made of a Spherical Coordinate and an Euler angle.

R
TH  Tsph ( r ,  ,  )  Euler ( ,  , )

Another Combination can be possible……

Denavit-Hartenberg Representation