Development of a holonomic mobile spherical robot with 3D center of gravity shifting actuators

Abstract

We present our development of a spherical robot prototype that is designed to be completely enclosed, weatherproof, and capable of rolling holonomically on flat or inclined two-dimensional planes. By constantly shifting the robot's center of gravity in predetermined three-dimensional patterns, the corresponding two-dimensional trajectories can be mapped. Because we use only stepper motors to shift the center of gravity, all payload motions are translational only; thus, the wired connections between the battery-and-controller-equipped payload and the motor's attached gimbal frame mechanisms will not be tangled.