Quaternions

[A. Scottedward Hodel]

>I've written a suite of quaternion-related m-files in Octave, including
>a gnuplot "cartoon" that shows a body frame rotating per specified
>Euler angles via a construct quaternion.  If there's any interest in
>these being added to the Octave suite of m-files, let me know.  I'll
>clean them up and document them a bit better and submit them to John
>Eaton for inclusion in Octave.

Response to my email this morning was positive; I have placed the m-files
at ftp://ftp.eng.auburn.edu/pub/hodel/quaternion.tar.gz, in the same
directory with the Octave control systems toobox.  A menu-driven demo m-file
(demoquat) is included that requires the run_cmd and prompt scripts
from the OCST.  There is also a 14-page tutorial (written mostly for
my own benefit as I've been working on a vehicle simulation here at MSFC)
that may also be of use.  It is in postscript format.  Because it
requires both .eps and xfig files in its development, I do not plan to
put the  tutorial into TeXinfo form.

While I've taken care to ensure that the routines are correct and
reasonably good at error checking, please be sure to let me know if
there are any problems with it.

The m-files will be included in a soon-to-be-released version of Octave.

A S Hodel Assoc. Prof. Dept Elect Eng, Auburn Univ,AL  36849-5201
On leave at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (205) 544-1426