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Maths - Quaternion to Matrix - Sample Orientations

Sample Rotations

In order to try to explain things I thought it might help to work out a simple case where rotations are only allowed in mutiples of 90 degrees. This should make it easier to illustrate the orientation with a simple aeroplane figure, we can rotate this either about the x,y or z axis as shown here:

When we combine these rotations about the x,y and z axies in 90 degree multiples there are 24 possible orientations as in the table shown below.heading applied first giving 4 possible orientations:

rightUp

reference orientation

q = 1

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

1 0 0
0 1 0
0 0 1

 

backUp

rotate by 90 degrees about y axis

q = 0.7071 + j 0.7071

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

0 0 1
0 1 0
-1 0 0

 

leftUp

rotate by 180 degrees about y axis

q = j

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

-1 0 0
0 1 0
0 0 -1

 

forwardUp

rotate by 270 degrees about y axis

q = 0.7071 - j 0.7071

(equivilant rotation to:
-0.7071 + j 0.7071)

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

0 0 -1
0 1 0
1 0 0

 

Then apply attitude +90 degrees for each of the above: (note: that if we went on to apply bank to these it would just rotate between these values, the straight up and streight down orientations are known as singularities because they can be fully defined without using the bank value)

upLeft

q = 0.7071 + k 0.7071

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

0 -1 0
1 0 0
0 0 1

 

 

 

upForward

q = 0.5 + i 0.5 + j 0.5 + k 0.5

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

0 0 1
1 0 0
0 1 0

 

 

 

upRight

q = i 0.7071 +j 0.7071

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

0 1 0
1 0 0
0 0 -1

 

 

upBack

q = 0.5 - i 0.5 - j 0.5 + k 0.5

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

0 0 -1
1 0 0
0 -1 0

 

 

 

Or instead apply attitude -90 degrees (also a singularity):

downRight

q = 0.7071 - k 0.7071

(equivilant rotation to:
-0.7071 + k 0.7071)

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

0 1 0
-1 0 0
0 0 1

 

downBack


q = 0.5 - i 0.5 + j 0.5 - k 0.5

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

0 0 1
-1 0 0
0 -1 0

 

downLeft

q = -i 0.7071 + j 0.7071

(equivilant rotation to:
i 0.7071 - j 0.7071)

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

0 -1 0
-1 0 0
0 0 -1

 

downForward

q = 0.5 + i 0.5 - j 0.5 - k 0.5

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

0 0 -1
-1 0 0
0 1 0

 

Normally we dont go beond attitude + or - 90 degrees because thes are singularities, instead apply bank +90 degrees:

rightForward

q = 0.7071 + i 0.7071

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

1 0 0
0 0 -1
0 1 0

 

 

backRight

q = 0.5 + i 0.5 + j 0.5 - k 0.5

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

0 1 0
0 0 -1
-1 0 0

 

 

leftBack

q = j 0.7071 - k 0.7071

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

-1 0 0
0 0 -1
0 -1 0

 

forwardLeft

q = 0.5 + i 0.5 - j 0.5 + k 0.5

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

0 -1 0
0 0 -1
1 0 0

 

 

Apply bank +180 degrees:

rightDown

q = i

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

1 0 0
0 -1 0
0 0 -1

 

backDown

q = i 0.7071 - k 0.7071

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

0 0 -1
0 -1 0
-1 0 0

 

leftDown

q = k

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

-1 0 0
0 -1 0
0 0 1

 

forwardDown

q = i 0.7071 + k 0.7071

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

0 0 1
0 -1 0
1 0 0

 

Apply bank -90 degrees:

rightBack

q = 0.7071 - i 0.7071

(equivilant rotation to:
-0.7071 + i 0.7071)

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

1 0 0
0 0 1
0 -1 0

 

backLeft

q = 0.5 - i 0.5 + j 0.5 + k 0.5

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

0 -1 0
0 0 1
-1 0 0

 

leftForward

q = j 0.7071 + k 0.7071

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

-1 0 0
0 0 1
0 1 0

 

 

forwardRight

q = 0.5 - i 0.5 - j 0.5 - k 0.5

1 - 2*qy2 - 2*qz2 2*qx*qy - 2*qz*qw 2*qx*qz + 2*qy*qw
2*qx*qy + 2*qz*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qz2 2*qy*qz - 2*qx*qw
2*qx*qz - 2*qy*qw 2*qy*qz + 2*qx*qw 1 - 2*qx2 - 2*qy2

 

0 1 0
0 0 1
1 0 0

 
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