Kinematic models and isotropy analysis of wheeled mobile robots

摘要

This research presents a comprehensive and useful survey of the kinematic models of wheeled mobile robots and their optimal configurations. The kinematic modeling of wheeled mobile robots with no-slip is presented, by considering four common types of wheels: fixed, orientable, castor, and Swedish. Next, the accuracy of the kinematic models is discussed considering their sensitivity or relative error amplification, giving rise to the isotropy concept. As practical application of the previous theory, all types of three-wheeled mobile robots are modeled and their optimal (isotropic) configurations for no error amplification are obtained. Finally, three practical examples of error amplification are developed for several types of wheeled mobile robots in order to illustrate the benefits and limitations of the isotropic configurations.