Science

caraher

(6,356 posts)

14. Actually, quaternions can be handy in "real life"

Wed Jun 20, 2012, 05:05 PM

Jun 2012

Kuipers' book outlines some very practical examples. They have significant advantages over Euler angles for some applications.

It's awfully hard to know in advance which bits of mathematics will turn out, contrary to all expectation, to contribute something substantial to understanding of "real world" problems. Which is one reason I'm happy we have mathematicians out there exploring the abstract for the sheer adventure of discovery!

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

15 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Breakthru in quantum computing: salty nanoscale bar magnets! [View all] daaron Jun 2012 OP

Plus, Bose-Einstein condensates are difficult. longship Jun 2012 #1

True that. It's all very tricksy business. daaron Jun 2012 #4

Translation: A minor discovery blown up by big words. DetlefK Jun 2012 #2

Not all that minor. daaron Jun 2012 #3

Skepticism and excitement are both legitimate responses caraher Jun 2012 #5

Excellent - I was hoping to provoke a thoughtful response --> daaron Jun 2012 #6

From nobody to nobody ;-) DetlefK Jun 2012 #7

Fair questions. daaron Jun 2012 #8

re DetlefK Jun 2012 #9

ok daaron Jun 2012 #10

It all boils down to one question: "So what?" DetlefK Jun 2012 #12

See for me it comes down to "That's nice." daaron Jun 2012 #13

Actually, quaternions can be handy in "real life" caraher Jun 2012 #14

Yep. Quaternions do have some applications --> daaron Jun 2012 #15

"The domain of mad scientists?" Oy, spare me. (nt) Posteritatis Jun 2012 #11