MENG 5308 Robotics Vision and Control University of Texas at Tyler

Ch 07 Robotics Mechanical Engineering

Quiz #4 Take-home (120 minutes)

Name:
Starting time: , Ending time:

Problem #1
Figure shows a three-link nonplanar arm. Because all three joints are revolute, this
manipulator is sometimes called an RRR (or 3R) mechanism. There is a twist of 90 degrees in
magnitude between axes 1 and 2.
a. (20 pts)
Fill out the table for representing the
modified Denavit-Hartenberg (D-H)
parameters.
b. (40 pts)
Calculate the homogeneous transformation
matrix for each link, i.e., 0𝑇1, 1𝑇2, 2𝑇3 .
Hint: use 𝛼𝑗−1 = 0 and 𝑑𝑗 = 0 in this case.
c. (40 pts)
Find the total homogeneous transformation
of the robot at {3} coordinate with respect
to the {0} coordinate, i.e., 0𝑇3 .
Note that the 𝑧-direction of each link is
upward, perpendicular to the 𝑥 − 𝑦 plane in
this case.

The modified D-H parameter table:

Link (𝑗) 𝛼𝑗−1 𝑎𝑗−1 𝑑𝑗 𝜃𝑗
1
2
3

𝒋−𝟏
𝝃𝒋 (𝜽𝒋 , 𝒅𝒋 , 𝒂𝒋 , 𝜶𝒋 ) = 𝑹𝒙 (𝜶𝒋−𝟏 )⨁𝑻𝒙 (𝒂𝒋−𝟏 ) ⊕ 𝑻𝒛 (𝒅𝒋 ) ⊕ 𝑹 (𝜽𝒋 )
𝒛

Dr. Chung Hyun Goh Page 1

MENG 5308 Robotics Vision and Control University of Texas at Tyler
Ch 07 Robotics Mechanical Engineering

Note that in the modified D-H parameters, the link coordinate frames are attached to the near
(proximal), rather than the far (distal) end of each link.

The homogeneous transformation matrix using the modified D-H parameters is represented by
C 𝜃𝑗 − S 𝜃𝑗 0 𝑎𝑗−1
𝑗−1 S 𝜃 C𝛼 C 𝜃𝑗 C 𝛼𝑗−1 −S 𝛼𝑗−1 −S 𝛼𝑗−1 𝑑𝑗
𝑇𝑗 = ( 𝑗 𝑗−1 )
S 𝜃𝑗 𝑆 𝛼𝑗−1 C 𝜃𝑗 S 𝛼𝑗−1 C 𝛼𝑗−1 C 𝛼𝑗−1 𝑑𝑗
0 0 0 1

Dr. Chung Hyun Goh Page 2

MENG 5308 Robotics Vision and Control University of Texas at Tyler
Ch 07 Robotics Mechanical Engineering

Problem #2
Consider 2-dimensional (planar) robotic arm shown in figure below.

Derive the formulae of joint angles

𝑞1 and 𝑞2 using Pythagorean identities and cosine
law and apply trigonometric addition formulae.

Show all the steps to get full credits.

Dr. Chung Hyun Goh Page 3