Robot Basics: Representation, Rotation and Velocity

Abstract: In this article, we plan to provide an introduction about some basics about robots for readers. Several key topics of classic robotics will be introduced, including robot representation, robot rotational motion, coordinates transformation and velocity transformation. By now, classic rigid-body robot analysis is still the main-stream approach in robot controlling and motion planning. In this article, no data-driven or machine learning based methods will be introduced. Most of the materials covered in this article are based on the rigid-body kinematics that the readers probably have learned from the physics course at high-school or college. Meanwhile, these classic robot kinematics analyses will serve as the foundation for the latest intelligent robot control algorithms in modern robotics studies.