3 Wheel Robot Platform

Project description

Design a novel robot that uses 3 omni-directional wheels for navigation and make the robot motion repeatable and programmable.

This problem involves solving complex motion kinematics due to the unique shape of the robot. With this it gains unparalleled freedom of motion, being able to do any 2D translation and rotation freely, gaining 3 axis of freedom. The robot had to be built from scratch. Complex and novel engineering challenges towards designing and programming this new robot (such as repeatable motion) had to be solved. This involved lots of sensor readings and signal processing.

Context

The project started as a robot platform for research purposes with possible applications in robot soccer. Another possible application was autonomous remote building exploration. Possible users of this new technology might be the military or other enforcement sectors where exploring dangerous locations with unparalleled freedom is required.

Results

The project concluded with the development and assembly of a fully working robot platform capable of moving in 3 axis of freedom from a programming interface. This platform is open-sourced and expandable and will be used in the future for other robot projects (such as autonomous LIDAR driven motion)

Another important product is the documentation on the complex kinematics, reverse-kinematics, motion-control and feedback control systems designed for the robot.

About the project group

Over a span of three months, our team dedicated four days each week to the development of the robot platform. Leveraging a strategic approach, we proficiently divided tasks and executed them concurrently, strategically optimizing our workflow to achieve maximum productivity.