The Kinematics of Wheeled Mobile Robots With Dual-Wheel Transmission Units

Abstract

The Dual-Wheel Transmission (DWT) unit, an innovative driving mechanism for wheeled mobile robots (WMRs), was introduced elsewhere. In this paper we conduct the direct and inverse kinematic analysis of WMRs with such units. This analysis can be applied as well to other types of WMRs equipped with conventional wheels. Both central and offset types of wheel units are discussed. The closed form symbolic solutions provided in this paper may reduce the computational complexity, as required in the real time control of such systems. Furthermore, the underlying relations reveal the geometric and physical meanings of the constraints imposed on the robots at hand.