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Position & orientation — why a 3rd link matters

手先の「位置」と「姿勢」 — なぜ 3 リンク目が必要か

Move your mouse over either workspace. The cursor is the desired end-effector position, and both arms solve their inverse kinematics (IK) to reach it.

The 2-link arm can reach the point, but the gripper orientation is forced by the geometry — you cannot choose it. The 3-link arm has one extra joint, so it can hit the same point and match the orientation you set with the slider.

Try this ▸ Place the cursor somewhere, then drag the orientation slider. The 3-link gripper rotates while staying on target; the 2-link gripper cannot follow — its dashed “desired” ghost drifts away from the solid arm.
Elbow / :
target / 目標位置 actual gripper desired orientation

2-Link Robot 2 DOF

Position reachable · orientation NOT controllable / 位置は届くが姿勢は選べない

3-Link Robot 3 DOF

Position AND orientation controllable / 位置も姿勢も自由に指定できる

+30°

This slider sets the desired hand angle φ. Only the 3-link arm can honour it.