Computing Euler angles from rotation matrix: boundary cases

Question

I want to compute the Euler angles from a rotation matrix in order to find out the orientation associated to that rotation. For that purpose, I am using MATLAB and the function rotm2eul that gives me the rotation first about x-axis, then about y-axis and finally the z-axis.

I am using a signal with 1000 frames and for each frame a rotation matrix is computed, as well, the three Euler angles. However, when I am going to see the Euler angles' curve, there is some "jumps" as I shown on the figures below.

On Technique 1, I think it jumps from -180º to 180º which should be the same. In fact, the upper portion of the plot seems a continuation of the lower portion. So in this case I thought I could subtract 360º to the upper portion to get the plot. But I am not sure if I do this I am falsifying the results.

On Technique 2, it makes a jump with a different reason of the previous one. I think it must be because the angle associated with the y-axis reaches 90º which should be a boundary case. But in this case I don't know how should I correct the data or , like previously, if I want to correct the plot is falsifying the euler angle result.

Answer 1

Technique 2: This is a Gimbal lock, known feature of Euler angles. You can't avoid it completely. You can change the rotation order, but it will appear in another position.