-------------------------------------------------------------------- version 2.2a October 2009 tested with MATLAB MATLAB 7.6.0.324 R2008a -------------------------------------------------------------------- Information on the last patches at the end of this file -------------------------------------------------------------------- What is SPACELIB©? SPACELIB is a software library useful for the realization of programs for the kinematic and dynamic analysis of systems of rigid bodies. This library is currently used in ROBOTICS and BIOMECHANICS. It has been developed at the Mechanical Engineering Department of the University of Brescia. Two versions of the library are currently available (see http://robotics.unibs.it/SpaceLib/ for code, description and user's manual): * c language (numerical computation) * MATLAB (numerical computation) * MAPLEV (symbolic manipulation) The library is offered with: * full source code * a full reference manual * commented application examples * papers describing the mathematic theory which is at the base of spacelib The functions contained in the library are devoted to: * basis operations on matrices sum, product, (pseudo)inversion, ... * basic operation on points, lines and planes line between two points plane defined by three points intersection / projection of point, lines on planes ... * basic operation on vectors module, dot product, cross product, ... * transformation matrices (rototranslations) * velocity and acceleration matrices * Cardan/Euler angles transformation of angles to/from rotation matrices derivative of angles to/from angular velocity and acceleration * linear systems The library is intended as an aid in writing programs for the analysis of systems of rigid bodies following a particular methodology based on 4×4 matrices. This approach can be considered a powerful generalization of the Transformation Matrix Approach proposed by Denavit and Hartenberg. Shortly: the position and the orientation of each body is represented by 4×4 transformation matrices. Two others matrices called W and H are utilized for the velocity and the acceleration (linear and angular). Additional matrices are used for the momentum, forces, torques, inertia. The main feature of this methodology is that it allows the development of the analysis of systems of rigid bodies in a systematic way simplifying the symbolic manipulation of equations as well as the realization of efficient numerical programs. -------------------------------------------------------------------- patch NOVEMBER 2001 the function mod() has been renamed modulus() to avoid conflict with the function mod() contained in the new MATLAB versions -------------------------------------------------------------------- patch FEBRUARY 2003 Some bugs fixed. And also improved compatibility with release 12. Some functions worked well with previous versions but failed with version 12 (e.g. functions dist() and mod() had to be renamed to avoid conflicts, some vector converted to row to column, logical operator precedence checked, etc...) Some minor bugs have been also corrected. -------------------------------------------------------------------- patch OCTOBER 2003 Some bugs fixed. Improved documentation -------------------------------------------------------------------- patch JANUARY 2004 Manual improved and supplied in PDF format. Some bugs fixed. Functions normal, normal_g and psedot added. Functions solve renamed to avoid conflicts with MATLAB version 12. -------------------------------------------------------------------- patch November 2005 manual restyled and extended minor bugs fixed few new functions added (dhtomstd, psedot, crosstom, translat, translat2, translat24) -------------------------------------------------------------------- patch October 2009 minor bugs fixed eliminated problems with lower/upper case mismatching simplified installation -------------------------------------------------------------------- The library is free available for non-profit activities including scientific and educational purposes. See also the "disclaimer warranties" statement in the manual. For commercial activities please contact: Giovanni Legnani Università di Brescia Dip. Ing. Meccanica Via Branze 38 25123 Brescia, Italy. phone +39/030 3715425 fax +39/030 3702448 e-mail: giovanni.legnani @ unibs.it www: http://bsing.ing.unibs/~glegnani www: http://spacelib.unibs.it