ODD: Omni Differential Drive for Simultaneous Reconfiguration and Omnidirectional Mobility of Wheeled Robots

TL;DR

This paper introduces the Omni Differential Drive (ODD), a novel wheeled robot drive system inspired by human movement, enabling simultaneous reconfiguration and omnidirectional mobility without extra actuators.

Contribution

The paper proposes the ODD model that uses lateral differential drive for wheel spacing adjustment, enhancing robot flexibility and mobility without additional actuators.

Findings

Prototype validation confirms feasibility of ODD

Control strategies effectively manage self-balancing and motion

Experimental results demonstrate improved mobility and adaptability

Abstract

Wheeled robots are highly efficient in human living environments. However, conventional wheeled designs, with their limited degrees of freedom and constraints in robot configuration, struggle to simultaneously achieve stability, passability, and agility due to varying footprint needs. This paper proposes a novel robot drive model inspired by human movements, termed as the Omni Differential Drive (ODD). The ODD model innovatively utilizes a lateral differential drive to adjust wheel spacing without adding additional actuators to the existing omnidirectional drive. This approach enables wheeled robots to achieve both simultaneous reconfiguration and omnidirectional mobility. To validate the feasibility of the ODD model, a functional prototype was developed, followed by comprehensive kinematic analyses. Control systems for self-balancing and motion control were designed and implemented. Experimental validations confirmed the feasibility of the ODD mechanism and the effectiveness of the control strategies. The results underline the potential of this innovative drive system to enhance the mobility and adaptability of robotic platforms.