Introduction to Robotics
MEC281
Denavit–Hartenberg
Convention
(DH Convention)
Denavit–Hartenberg Convention
(DH Convention)
• The DH Convention is a set of rules that indicates how to set
reference frames associated with each link
• Serial kinematics chains.
Denavit–Hartenberg Convention
(DH Convention)
Frames Transformation α𝒊−𝟏 𝒂𝒊−𝟏 θ𝒊 𝒅𝒊
(Link)
0
1𝑇
1
2𝑇
𝑖−1
𝑖𝑇
Denavit–Hartenberg Convention
(DH Convention)
Frames Transformation α𝒊−𝟏 𝒂𝒊−𝟏 θ𝒊 𝒅𝒊
(Link)
0
1𝑇
1
2𝑇
𝑖−1
𝑖𝑇
𝑖 𝑇 : represents the homogeneous transformation matrix that holds the position and
𝑖−1
•
orientation,
0 𝑖−1
• 𝑖𝑇 = 01𝑇 12𝑇……… 𝑖𝑇
Assigning Z-axes
• Rotational Joint:
• Take the Z-axis to be the joint’s rotational axis
• Prismatic Joint:
• The Z-axis should point in the direction of translation
• For the end Effector:
• Z should point in the direction of the end effector approach
Assigning X-axes
القديمةz الجديدة عمودية ومتقاطعة مع الX الزم تكون ال •
• Case 1: 𝑍𝑖−1 and 𝑍𝑖 aren’t coplanar
• There is only one line possible for 𝑋𝑖 , which is the shortest line
from 𝑍𝑖−1 to 𝑍𝑖
• The 𝑥𝑖 (common line) is the shortest distance between 𝑍𝑖−1
and 𝑍𝑖
Assigning X-axes
• Case 2: 𝑍𝑖−1 and 𝑍𝑖 are parallel
• There are an infinite number of possibilities for 𝑋𝑖 from 𝑍𝑖−1 to 𝑍𝑖
• Usually easiest to choose an 𝑋𝑖 that passes through 𝑂𝑖−1 , so that
𝑑𝑖 = 0
• 𝑂𝑖 is the intersection of 𝑋𝑖 and 𝑍𝑖
• α𝑖 is always 0 for that case
Assigning X-axes
• Case 3: 𝑍𝑖−1 and 𝑍𝑖 are Intersected
• 𝑋𝑖 is normal to the plane of 𝑍𝑖−1 and 𝑍𝑖
• Positive direction of 𝑋𝑖 is arbitrary
• 𝑎𝑖 is always 0 for that case
Assigning Y-axes
• Right hand rule to know the Y-axis direction (DH convention
doesn’t use Y-axis)
Assigning Base Frame (World Frame)
• World Frame is arbitrary
Denavit–Hartenberg Convention
(DH Convention)
Frames α𝒊−𝟏 𝒂𝒊−𝟏 θ𝒊 𝒅𝒊
Transforma
tion (Link)
0
1𝑇
1
2𝑇
𝑖−1
𝑖𝑇
• 𝛼𝑖−1 : represents the link twist and defined as the rotation angle between z-axis of frame 𝑖 and
frame 𝑖 − 1 around x-axis of frame 𝑖,
• The angle from 𝑍𝑖 to 𝑍𝑖+1 measured about 𝑋𝑖 ,
الجديدةX-axis ولكن الدوران حول ال،) اللى بعدهاZ( ) والZ(• الزاوية بين ال
• 𝑎𝑖−1 : represents the link length and defined as the distance between the origin of frame 𝑖 − 1
and frame 𝑖 along the x-axis,
• The distance from 𝑍𝑖 to 𝑍𝑖+1 measured along 𝑋𝑖 (perpendicular distance)
الجديدةX-axis ولكن في اتجاه ال،) اللى بعدهاZ( ) والZ(• المسافة بين ال
Denavit–Hartenberg Convention
(DH Convention)
Frames α𝒊−𝟏 𝒂𝒊−𝟏 θ𝒊 𝒅𝒊
Transforma
tion (Link)
0
1𝑇
1
2𝑇
𝑖−1
𝑖𝑇
• 𝜃𝑖 :represents the joint angle and defined as the rotation angle between x-axis of frame 𝑖 and
frame 𝑖 − 1 around z-axis of frame 𝑖 − 1,
• The angle from 𝑋𝑖−1 to 𝑋𝑖 measured about 𝑍𝑖−1
القديمةZ-axis ولكن الدوران حول ال،) اللى بعدهاX( ) والX(• الزاوية بين ال
• 𝑑𝑖 :represents the link offset and defined as the distance between the origin of frame 𝑖 − 1 and
frame 𝑖 along the z-axis.
• The distance from 𝑋𝑖−1 to 𝑋𝑖 measured along 𝑍𝑖−1 (perpendicular distance)
القديمةZ-axis ولكن في اتجاه ال،) اللى بعدهاX( ) والX(• المسافة بين ال
3-Link Planar Manipulator
Frames α𝒊−𝟏 𝒂𝒊−𝟏 θ𝒊 𝒅𝒊
Transformation
0
1𝑇 0 0 𝜃1 0
1
2𝑇 0 𝐿1 𝜃2 0
2 𝐿2 𝜃3
3𝑇 0 0
Example
