Design and Control of Two Wheeled Self Balancing Robot (TWSBR)

Abstract

Two wheeled self-balancing robots can achieve better mobility and rotation in confined spaces and narrow gaps compared to multi-wheeled robots while maintaining balance. The paper aims mainly to design, model and control Two-wheeled Self-balancing Robot (TWSBR) utilizing MATLAB and Arduino IDE. The mathematical modeling to derive the transfer functions of TWSBR is performed using Lagrange equations. Based on the mathematical model, the system has two output (robot speed and tilt angle) that should be controlled through one manipulated input (voltage). Therefore, two PID control loops in cascade are needed to successfully control both outputs and maintain balance of the robot. As expected, after tuning the PID gains using MATLAB, the designed robot is capable of maintaining its balance while moving and carrying objects of different sizes, shapes, and weights. Moreover, the robot can travel at different desired speeds specified by the user.