Design of omnimobile robot wheels

Abstract

Typical mobile robot structures (e.g. wheelchair or car-like) do not have the required mobility for common applications such as displacement in a corridor, hospital and office. New structures based on the "universal wheel" (i.e. a wheel equipped with free rotating rollers) have been developed to increase mobility. However these structures have important drawbacks such as vertical vibration and limited load capacity. This paper presents a comparison of several types of universal wheel performances based on the three following criteria: load capacity, surmountable bumps and vertical vibration. It is hoped that this comparison will help the designer in the selection of the best suitable solution for his/her application.