Denavit-Hartenberg Convention

Direct kinematics problem in robotics:

The kinematic analysis of a mechanical system means the determination of the position,
velocity, and acceleration of the various mechanical elements forming the mechanism under
consideration.

Fig. 1 The Direct kinematics transformation

The combination of position and velocity of an element at a certain time is reffered to henceforth as
the state of this element. The effect of the associated forces and torques, which take into account the
mass and intertia of the mechanical elements, is considered in dynamic rather than kinematic
analysis, and therefore is not discussed here. The calculation of the kinematic state of mechanical
elements on the basis of given axial motions is reffered to as the direct kinematics problem.

In here we learn several analytical techniques for the solution of the direct kinematics
problem will be presented, These technique can be utilized not only for analysis of motion of the
manipulator but also in other motion related problems, such as transformation of co-ordinates.For
example,the coordinate system attached to a sensor can be transformed in to the world coordinate
system (WCS) assigned to the robots stationary base.Similarly tool coordinate system(TCS) can be
transformed to any other coordinate system.

The direct kinematics and the inverse kinematics solutions are implemented in path-planning
algorithms of CP robots. Basically,direct kinematics is used to transform trajectory points given in
joint coordinate system (JCS) or TCS to WCS, and inverse kinematics is used to transform the given
trajectory points into axial moions.

Geometry based direct kinematic analysis:

A two degree-of-freedom articulated planar mechanism is shown in fig. Link 2 rotates

around joint 2 at an angle 2 measured with respect to a reference coordinate system (X1,Y1) which is

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attached to link 1. Likewise, link 3 rotates around joint 3 at an angle 3 with respect to link 2. The
TCP is define at the tip of link 3.

Fig.2 Robot manipulators; assignment of links, coordinate systems

The direct kinematics problem of defining yhe position of the TCP (X1,Y1) as a function of
the joint angle values can be solved using straight forward geometry

Where = 2 + 3. The time derivative gives the velocity of the TCP in the reference coordinate
system (X1,Y1) is given by

A similar solution can be found for the three-degree-of-freedom spherical mechanism shown
in figure. In this case the reference coordinate system (X0,Y0,Z0) is attached to the stationary base
,which is also referred to as link o. The positin of the TCP , expressed in the base coordinate system
is given by,

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The velocity of the TCP is given by the time derivative as shown below

Coordinate and vector transformation using matrices:

A transformation in kinematics is the process of setting up correspondences between the

elements of two coordinate systems that are translated and/or rotated relative to each other. The
location of appoint can be expressed in each of these coordinate systems. When vector
transformation is considered , the projections of the vector are transformed. The magnitude of the
vector , however , is fixed and does not depend on the coordinate system.

There are several transformation techniques:

1. Complex numbers , a technique which is mainly useful in solving two-dimensional cases, but
becomes complicated in three-dimensional cases.
2. Rotation matrices, a technique which is useful for vector transformations.
3. The quaternion and rotation vectors.
4. The homogenous transformation matrices technique which is discussed in the present section.

The first step in implementing the transformation matrices technique to kinematic chains is to
assign coordinate systems to moving links of the manipulator. A right-handed coordinate system oi
denoted henceforth as the oi frame, is attached to link I with the origin at joint i+1.

The transformation matrices define the geometric relationship between two consecutive
coordinate systems oi and oi-1, as a function of the joint variable Qi where Qi = i for revolute joints
and Qi=di for prismatic joints. Each transformation matrix is composed of an orientation matrix and a
translation vector, which are defined below.

The orientation matrix and translation vector:

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The figure represents a planar cae where frame oi is rotated and translated relative to oi-1 . The
vector components of vi-1 can be expressed by the vector components vi. is given by,

The matrix Cii-1 is called the orientation matrix and is used to transform a vector between two
consecutive links according to equation vi-1. This matrix describes the orientation of frame oi with
respect to oi-1 and is used to define the orientation of link. It is also called the rotation matrix or the
direction cosine matrix (DCM).

Fig.3 Vector and point transformations between two planar links coordinate systems.

Translation vector:
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Denavit-Hartenberg Convention

The translation vector dii-1 describes the position of the origin of frame oi in oi-1and is given by

Where ai is the distance between oi and oi-1.

DENAVIT-HARTENBERG CONVECTION:
A systematic technique for establishing the displacement matrix for each two adjacent links
of a mechanism was proposed by Denavit and Hartenberg (DH) in 1955.

Implementing the DH Convection:

The DH convection is mainly implemented in robot manipulators which consist of open

kinematic chain in which each joint contains one degree of freedom and the joint is either revolute or
prismatic.

The revolute and prismatic joints are considered as lower pairs, i.e., joints which have two
surfaces sliding over one another while remaining in contact. The six possible lower-pair types are
revolute, prismatic, cylindrical, spherical, screw and planar pair fo which only the revolute and
prismatic are typically used in robot manipulators.

The DH convection is implemented through following steps:

1. Number the links and joints, starting at the base. The stationary base is denoted as link O and the
end effector is link n.
2. Establish links coordinate systems for each of the joints according to the following rules
a. The Zi-1 axis is chosen along the axis of motion of joint i.
b. The Xi axis is chosen perpendicular to the Zi-1 axis(i.e., it is perpendicular to both Zi-1
and Zi). If Zi and Zi-1 do not intersect, then the Xi axis is along the common normal to Zi
and Zi-1 and its direction is defined from Zi-1 towards the Zi axis. If, however, Zi-1 and Zi
do intersect, the direction of Xi axis is not defined and it can be chosen in either of the
two possible directions. In addition, if the Zi-1 and Zi axes are collinear, the Xi axis can be
chosen anywhere in the plane perpendicular to them.
c. The Yi axis is chosen to complete a right hand coordinate system.
3. Define the joint parameters which are the four geometric quantities
i is the angle between the Xi-1 and Xi axis, obtained by screwing Xi-1 into Xi around the
Zi-1 axis.
di is the coordinate of the origin of Oi frame on the Zi-1 axis, i.e., the distance between the
origin of Oi-1 frame to the intersection of the Zi-1 axis with the Xi axis.
ai is the distance between Zi-1 andZi axis measured along the negative direction of Xi
from its origin to where it intersects the Zi-1 axis.
i is the angle between the Zi-1 axis and Zi axis obtained by screwing Zi-1 into Zi around
the Xi axis.
4. From the homogeneous displacement matrix for joint i

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The upper left 3 x 3 portion of Tii-1 is the orientation matrix Cii-1 of link I with respect to link i-1 and
is given by equation

The orientation matrix is also denoted as the DCM of link I with respect to link i -1. In principle, the
three independent parameters are required to define the orientation between any two coordinate
systems.However,since Cii-1 contains only two independent parameters (i and ),it can be used for
coordinate systems that are oriented to each other by two consecutive rotations i and then i. Note
that with lower-pair joints these two rotations are sufficient. If the links coordinate systems are
assigned according to the DH convection, it is always possible to derive the orientation matrix.

The three upper components on the right column of Tii-1 and the components of the translation
vector dii-1 is given by

The vector dii-1 describes the position of the origin of frame oi expressed in frame oi-1. In robotics there
are cases in which dii-1 cannot be derived according to convention. In such cases an alternative
technique is used as will be shown in following sections.

In any case, dii-1 always describes the location of the origin of frame oi in oi-1.

Obtaing the DH displacement Matrices:

The displacement matrix can be obtained by applying successive rotations and translations to
frame oi-1 to align it with oi.This require the following sequence of operations:

1. Rotate oi-1 around zi-1 axis at angle i

2. Translate the rotated frame oi-1 by i and di units in the directions Xi-1 and Zi-1,respectively
3. Rotate frame oi-1 at an angle i around Xi-1 to form the frame oi.

Applying the transformation matrices we get,

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Performing the matrix multiplication results in the DH displacement transformation matrix from Tii-1
to dii-1.

APPLICATIONS OF THE DH METHOD:

This section presents examples which demonstrate the derivation of displacement matrices
according to the DH convection.

Robot manipulators consist of an arm and a wrist. The arm is commonly referred to the links
moved by the first three joints(starting from the base),and the wrist is referred to the remaining links.
Since various types of arms and wrists can be combined to form a manipulator, they are discussed
separately. The transformation matrix of the manipulator is obtained by chaining the transformation
matrices of the associated arm and wrist.

An Articulated Arm:

A three-axis articulated arm with three revolute joints is schematically shown in figure. In the
illustrated position all joint variables are at their reference position, i.e. i =0 for I = 1 to 3. The
corresponding transformation matrices are derived according to the procedure.

1. The links are numbered, as shown in fig

2. Coordinate systems are assigned to the various links : The zi axes point to the joints axes
of rotation. The Xi axes are perpendicular to both Zi-1 and Zi axes. Coordinate system
o3,at the end of the arm,corresponds to a wrist having its first joint rotating about, or
sliding along, the Z3axis.
3. The joint parameters are established as follows: The distance between the origins of Oo
and o1 along the Z0 axis is d1. The axes Z0 and Zi intersect and therefore a1=0.The
orientation angle i, measured from the Z0 axis to Z1 around X1(according to the right-hand
rule)is i= +900.The angle 1(measured from X0 to Xi) is the variable parameter of joint
1.Similarly, the parameters of the other joints are determined and are given in above table.

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Denavit-Hartenberg Convention

Fig.4 Links, coordinate systems and joint parameters for a articulated arm

4. The displacement transformation matrices are determined, substituting the joint parameters
from the table we get

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Now, the displacement matrix between frame o3 and the base coordinate system (o0) is established
utilizing the chaining operation to the matrices which yields

The position of point P(the arm end as shown in fig ) as expressed in frame oo is given by translation
vector

It is seen that both are identical, excluding d1 which results from the difference in positioning o0
relative to oi as shown in figure.

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An Cylindrical arm:

A three-axis cylindrical arm with one revolute joint and two prismatic joints is schematically
shown in figure. In the illustrated position all joint variables are at their reference position, i.e. i =0
for I = 1 to 3. The corresponding transformation matrices are derived according to the procedure.

1. Choose z0 axis (axis of rotation for joint 1, base frame)

2. Choose z1 axis (axis of translation for joint 2)

3. Choose z2 axis (axis of translation for joint 3)

4. Choose z3 axis (tool frame)

Fig.5 Links, coordinate systems and joint parameters for cylindrical arm

Joint parameters for Cylindrical arm

link ai ai di qi

1 0 0 d1 q1

2 0 -90 d2 0
3 0 0 d3 0

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The displacement transformation matrices are determined, substituting the joint parameters from the
table we get

c1 s1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
s c 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0
T1 1 1 , T2 , T3
0 0 1 d1 0 1 0 d2 0 0 1 d3

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

Now, the displacement matrix between frame o3 and the base coordinate system (o0) is established
utilizing the chaining operation to the matrices which yields

c1 0 s1 s1d3
s 0 c1 c1d3
T3 T1T2T3
0 1

0 1 0 d1 d 2

0 0 0 1

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References:

1. Robotics for engineers by Yoram Koren, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1985

2. Craig, J.J., Introduction to Robotics: Mechanics and Control. Reading, Mass.: Addison-
Wesley, 1986.
3. Paul, R.P., Robot Manipulators: Mathematics, Programming, and Control. Cambridge, Mass.:
MIT Press, 1981.

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