An Automated Conversion Between Selected Robot Kinematic Representations

Abstract: This paper presents a methodology that forms an automated tool for robot kinematic representation conversion, called the RobKin Interpreter. It is a set of analytical algorithms that apply basic linear algebra tools that can analyze an input serial robot representation, express the joints globally in matrix form, and map to other representations such as standard Denavit-Hartenberg parameters, Roll-Pitch-Yaw angles with translational displacement, and Product of Exponentials with a possibility to generate a URDF (Universal Robot Description Format) file from any of them. It works for revolute and prismatic joints and can interpret even arbitrary kinematic structures that do not have orthogonally placed joints and often appear in flexible robotic systems. The aim of the proposed methods is to facilitate the necessary switches between representations due to software compatibility, calculation simplification, or cooperation.