Pendulum Actuated Spherical Robot: Dynamic Modeling & Analysis for Wobble & Precession

TL;DR

This paper develops a coupled nonlinear dynamic model for a pendulum-actuated spherical robot, analyzing wobble and precession effects during turning maneuvers, with simulations demonstrating practical indoor navigation scenarios.

Contribution

It introduces a novel dynamic model capturing wobble and precession in pendulum-actuated spherical robots, aiding sensor mounting and motion analysis.

Findings

Model accurately predicts wobbling and precession during turning.

Simulation visualizations confirm practical indoor maneuverability.

Provides insights into internal assembly dynamics for sensor placement.

Abstract

A spherical robot has many practical advantages as the entire electronics are protected within a hull and can be carried easily by any Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). However, its use is limited due to finding mounts for sensors. Pendulum actuated spherical robot provides space for mounting sensors at the yoke. We study the non-linear dynamics of a pendulum-actuated spherical robot to analyze the dynamics of internal assembly (yoke) for mounting sensors. For such robots, we provide a coupled dynamic model that takes care of the relationship between forward and sideways motion. We further demonstrate the effects of wobbling and precession captured by our model when the bot is controlled to execute a turning maneuver while moving with a moderate forward velocity, a practical situation encountered by spherical robots moving in an indoor setting. A simulation setup based on the developed model provides visualization of the spherical robot motion.