referenceposition

Reference position, sometimes written as referenceposition in code, is a predefined location or pose used as a target for motion, measurement, or calibration. It can refer to a spatial coordinate (x, y, z) and orientation (roll, pitch, yaw) or to a unit quaternion. In robotics and automation, the reference position forms the setpoint for feedback control; controllers compute the error between the current pose and the reference and drive actuators to reduce it. Reference positions may be fixed (a home position) or dynamic, updated by planners as a task progresses.

In navigation and mapping, a reference position can serve as the origin of a local frame or a waypoint in a planned route. In experimental contexts, it provides a baseline against which displacements, vibrations, or deformations are measured.

Common issues include ensuring a consistent coordinate frame between sensor data and the reference, units consistency, and synchronization in time. If the reference is inaccurate or outdated, control performance degrades. Reference positions are established via manual entry, calibration procedures, sensor fusion results (e.g., SLAM or GPS), or algorithmic planning outputs.

Synonyms include target position, desired pose, setpoint, or reference pose. The term is widely used across robotics, CNC machining, animation, and virtual environments, with variations in how pose and units are represented.