Quaternions and Rotation Sequences: A Primer with Applications to Orbits, Aerospace and Virtual Reality

Description

Ever since the Irish mathematician William Rowan Hamilton introduced quaternions in the 19th century - a feat he celebrated by carving the founding equations into a stone bridge - mathematicians and engineers have been fascinated by these mathematical objects. They are used in applications as various as describing the geometry of space-time, guiding the Space Shuttle and developing computer applications in virtual reality. In this book, Jack Kuipers introduces quaternions for scientists and engineers who have not encountered them before and shows how they can be used in a variety of practical situations.

J. B. Kuipers is Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at Calvin College. In addition to publishing papers and research notes on quaternions, he spent seventeen years in the aerospace industry where his work included developing applications of quaternion theory for aerospace systems. He also developed a six-dimensional graphics system and, as a consequence, is regarded by some as the founder of virtual reality.

"This book will appeal to anyone with an interest in three-dimensional geometry. It is a competent and comprehensive survey... This book is unique in that it is probably the only modern book to treat quaternions seriously... A valuable asset."--Aeronautical Journal "[A] splendid book ... everything one could wish for in a primer. It is also beautifully set out with an attractive layout, clear diagrams, and wide margins with explanatory notes where appropriate. It must be strongly recommended to all students of physics, engineering or computer science."--Peter Rowlands, Contemporary Physics