For K-12 Students · Forward Kinematics
Forward Kinematics for a claw machine
Built for k-12 students learning it in middle or high school. Watch the idea come alive with plain-language steps and everyday examples — perfect for projects and homework. Simulate a claw machine live below — adjust the inputs and watch it respond, right in your browser.
Forward KinematicsLive
joint angles → end effector
Controls
Presets
Forward kinematics computes where a robot arm's tip ends up from its joint angles. Each link rotates relative to the previous one, so the transforms chain together. It is fast and unique — every set of angles gives exactly one end-effector position — which is why controllers use it constantly.
Data Inspector
End X172.2
End Y110.4
Reach204.6
Links3
Governing equation
Reading this result: Reach 205 sits near the 210 maximum: the three links are nearly collinear, so the arm is almost fully extended.
Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.
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Frequently asked questions
- Is this good for k-12 students?
- Yes — this version of "Forward Kinematics for a claw machine" is framed for k-12 students learning it in middle or high school. Watch the idea come alive with plain-language steps and everyday examples — perfect for projects and homework.
- Do I need to install anything?
- No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.