Point at where you want the hand, and solve for the joints. Inverse kinematics is the hard, essential direction behind every robot that reaches for something.
Inverse KinematicsLive
target → joint angles
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Inverse kinematics is the hard direction: given where you want the tip, find the joint angles. For a 2-link arm the law of cosines gives a clean closed form — but with two solutions (elbow-up or elbow-down) and none at all when the target is out of reach. Drag the target, or click anywhere to move it there.
Reading this result: This 2-link arm (segments 100 and 80, total reach 180) has a closed-form inverse: the law of cosines gives the joint angles that place the tip exactly on the target, with two branches — elbow-up and elbow-down. Iterative methods like CCD or the Jacobian transpose converge to one of them.
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How it works
Inverse kinematics finds the joint angles that place the end effector at a desired target. For a two-link arm the law of cosines gives a closed-form solution — but with a twist: there are usually two configurations (elbow-up and elbow-down), and none when the target lies outside the reachable workspace. Click to move the target.
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The math, the assumptions, real-world uses, or a code translation — explained for this exact simulation.
Is this inverse kinematics solver tool really free?▾
Yes. Inverse Kinematics runs entirely in your browser using your device's own compute, so local use is free forever. You only pay Compute Tokens if you scale a job to the cloud.
Do I need to install anything?▾
No. Everything runs client-side in a modern browser — no downloads, no license, no account required to start.
Can I save or share my simulation?▾
Create a free account to save projects, and use a shareable embed or minted DOI to publish a live, interactive version anywhere.
How accurate are the results?▾
The solver uses established numerical methods, but results are for research and educational purposes and should be validated against experiment or professional review before you rely on them.