Kinematic generation of Darboux cyclides (Q1711789)

The Study quadric \(S \subset \mathbb{P}^7\) (minus a certain three-space) provides a well-known point model for \(\mathrm{SE}(3)\) that has often been employed for the investigation of space kinematics. While the kinematic meaning of subspaces contained in the Study quadric has been well known for a long time, interpretations for subspace intersections with \(S\) have been considered only in more recent years. This includes a discussion of conic sections contained in \(S\) [\textit{M. Hamann}, Mech. Mach. Theory, Vol. 46, No. 7, 960--974 (2011; Zbl 1337.70003)] and a characterization of three-spaces that correspond to the concatenation of two one-parameter rotation or translation sub-groups [\textit{T.-D. Rad} et al., ``The kinematic image of RR, PR, and RP dyads'', Robotica Vol. 36, No. 10, 1477--1492 (2018; \url{doi:10.1017/S0263574718000504})]. In the article under review, the authors demonstrate that the orbit of a point with respect to a doubly ruled quadric \(Q\) obtained as the intersection of \(S\) with a three-space is a Darboux cyclide \(D\). More precisely, the two rulings on \(Q\) correspond to two families of circles on \(D\). Conversely, any two (of the up to six) families of circles on \(D\) give rise to a unique quadric \(Q\). These are the first results for generic three-space intersections of \(S\). They nicely generalize the kinematic interpretation of the already mentioned three-spaces obtained by concatenation of rotation or translation subgroups whose orbits are circular surfaces of revolution, ruled hyperboloids of revolution or circular cylinders.