Rigid Body Dynamics Algorithms

Rigid Body Dynamics Algorithms presents the subject of computational rigid-body dynamics through the medium of spatial 6D vector notation. It explains how to model a rigid-body system and how to analyze it, and it presents the most comprehensive collection of the best rigid-body dynamics algorithms to be found in a single source. The use of spatial vector notation greatly reduces the volume of algebra which allows systems to be described using fewer equations and fewer quantities. It also allows problems to be solved in fewer steps, and solutions to be expressed more succinctly. In addition algorithms are explained simply and clearly, and are expressed in a compact form. The use of spatial vector notation facilitates the implementation of dynamics algorithms on a computer: shorter, simpler code that is easier to write, understand and debug, with no loss of efficiency.

Unique features include:

• A comprehensive collection of the best rigid-body dynamics algorithms
• Use of spatial (6D) vectors to greatly reduce the volume of algebra, to simplify the treatment of the subject, and to simplify the computer code that implements the algorithms
• Algorithms expressed both mathematically and in pseudocode for easy translation into computer programs
• Source code for many algorithms available on the internet

Rigid Body Dynamics Algorithms is aimed at readers who already have some elementary knowledge of rigid-body dynamics, and are interested in calculating the dynamics of a rigid-body system. This book serves as an algorithms recipe book as well as a guide to the analysis and deeper understanding of rigid-body systems.