diff --git a/src/xrt/auxiliary/math/m_api.h b/src/xrt/auxiliary/math/m_api.h
index 0119f295a..c51da7ae3 100644
--- a/src/xrt/auxiliary/math/m_api.h
+++ b/src/xrt/auxiliary/math/m_api.h
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ math_quat_rotate(const struct xrt_quat *left,
  * Integrate an angular velocity vector (exponential map) and apply to a
  * quaternion.
  *
- * velocity and dt should share the same units of time, and the angular velocity
+ * ang_vel and dt should share the same units of time, and the ang_vel
  * vector should be in radians per unit of time.
  *
  * @relates xrt_quat
@@ -86,6 +86,25 @@ math_quat_integrate_velocity(const struct xrt_quat *quat,
                              const struct xrt_vec3 *ang_vel,
                              const float dt,
                              struct xrt_quat *result);
+
+/*!
+ * Compute an angular velocity vector (exponential map format) by taking the
+ * finite difference of two quaternions.
+ * 
+ * quat1 is the orientation dt time after the orientation was quat0
+ *
+ * out_ang_vel and dt share the same units of time, and out_ang_vel is be in
+ * radians per unit of time.
+ *
+ * @relates xrt_quat
+ * @relatesalso xrt_vec3
+ */
+void
+math_quat_finite_difference(const struct xrt_quat *quat0,
+                            const struct xrt_quat *quat1,
+                            const float dt,
+                            struct xrt_vec3 *out_ang_vel);
+
 /*
  *
  * Pose functions.
diff --git a/src/xrt/auxiliary/math/m_quatexpmap.cpp b/src/xrt/auxiliary/math/m_quatexpmap.cpp
index 8b19cc471..31a526c78 100644
--- a/src/xrt/auxiliary/math/m_quatexpmap.cpp
+++ b/src/xrt/auxiliary/math/m_quatexpmap.cpp
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ math_quat_integrate_velocity(const struct xrt_quat *quat,
 	assert(quat != NULL);
 	assert(ang_vel != NULL);
 	assert(result != NULL);
+	assert(dt != 0);
 
 
 	Eigen::Quaternionf q = map_quat(*quat);
@@ -146,3 +147,20 @@ math_quat_integrate_velocity(const struct xrt_quat *quat,
 	    quat_exp(map_vec3(*ang_vel) * dt * 0.5f).normalized();
 	map_quat(*result) = q * incremental_rotation;
 }
+
+void
+math_quat_finite_difference(const struct xrt_quat *quat0,
+                            const struct xrt_quat *quat1,
+                            const float dt,
+                            struct xrt_vec3 *out_ang_vel)
+{
+	assert(quat0 != NULL);
+	assert(quat1 != NULL);
+	assert(out_ang_vel != NULL);
+	assert(dt != 0);
+
+
+	Eigen::Quaternionf inc_quat =
+	    map_quat(*quat1) * map_quat(*quat0).conjugate();
+	map_vec3(*out_ang_vel) = 2.f * quat_ln(inc_quat);
+}