Modeling and control of omnidirectional wheels

This work is written with the aim of solving some of the problems of advanced logistics robots, namely omnidirectional transport vehicles. Although the invention of the special wheels that move them dates back to the seventies, advances in mechatronics, and control technology keep them constantly on the drawing table of engineers working with mobile robots. This family of vehicles has serious advantages in mobility compared to traditional, wheeled propulsion systems, however their more complicated design and control, and the lower quantity of scientific background research and general understanding makes them a less attractive choice, even for applications perfectly suited for them. I tried to lessen this obstacle by solving some related problems. The work is divided in three interconnected areas of research, the first part deals with simulation and modeling of omnidirectional wheels, the second part describes a a nonlinear controller that eliminates swerving during hard braking, and the last part describes a method for high speed optical motion feedback.