Kinematics

Kinematics describes how a robot’s limbs move in space without accounting for the forces behind them. In humanoid robotics, it’s essential for planning poses, gestures, and walking gaits.

Forward kinematics calculates limb positions from known joint angles. Inverse kinematics (IK) works in reverse, computing joint angles needed to reach a target position. IK is especially critical for manipulation, balance, and coordinated whole-body motion.

Modern systems use hybrid solvers that blend geometric methods with optimization techniques. These handle joint limits, redundancies, and nonlinear behaviors while integrating real-time feedback from vision and touch.