A Practical Parameterization of 2 and 3 Degree of Freedom Rotations.

Abstract

This paper presents the RQ (Reparameterized Quaternion) parameterization for three degree of freedom (DOF) rotations as an alternative to quaternions for the applications of differential control and dynamic simulation. Because it requires just three Euclidean parameters instead of the four non-Euclidean parameters of quaternions, RQ is more efficient, less difficult to incorporate into large systems, and able to make use of Euclidean interpolants, such as cubic splines. While RQ does possess singularities in its parameter space, we show how they can be easily avoided for the intended applications. After discussing RQ's properties and limitations when applied to interpolation and spacetime optimizations, we derive an extension to two DOF rotations, and show how it can be used to model ball-and-socket joint to avery good approximation.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 13, 1997
Accession Number
ADA327707

Entities

People

  • F. S. Grassia

Organizations

  • Carnegie Mellon University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Algorithms
  • Angular Motion
  • Computations
  • Computer Programs
  • Computer Science
  • Control
  • Differential Equations
  • Equations
  • Equations Of Motion
  • Euler Angles
  • Interpolation
  • Kinematics
  • Numbers
  • Optimization
  • Orientation (Direction)
  • Rotation
  • Simulations

Readers

  • Approximation Theory.
  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Graph Algorithms and Convex Optimization.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Spacecraft Maneuvers