Models

The Toolbox ships with a number of models, and it is also quite easy to create your own model.

Existing models

There are three types of model supported by the Toolbox, and all are subclasses of the abstract Robot class.

• Denavit-Hartenberg (DH) models, defined using standard or modified DH parameters, with optional 3D meshes for visualisation and optional dynamic parameters. These models live in the folder roboticstoolbox/models/DH.
• ETS model, defined using a sequence of elementary transformations (rotation and translations), and is a quick and intuitive way to describe a robot, see this article. These models live in the folder roboticstoolbox/models/ETS.
• URDF models, defined by a Unified Robot Description Format file, an XML format file, see this tutorial article for details. These models live in the folder roboticstoolbox/models/URDF. Models exist for the classic Puma560 robot as well as the Franka-Emika Panda, the Universal robotics range and all the Interbotix hobby-class robots.

Creating a new model

Follow the instructions in the README file in each of the folders.

A Denavit-Hartenberg (DH) model

The DH parameters might come from the manufacturer or you might have derived them using the process in textbooks such as "Robotics: modelling, planning and control" by Siciliano etal.

Please see the details in the README.

an ETS model

Please see the details in the README.

A URDF model

You will need a URDF file for the robot, and this may include a set of mesh files that describe the shape and appearance of the robot's links. The URDF contains all the kinematic and dynamic data required by the Toolbox, you simply need to create a class.

Please see the details in the README.