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JRM Vol.37 No.6 pp. 1593-1601
doi: 10.20965/jrm.2025.p1593
(2025)

Paper:

Omnidirectional Locomotion of 4-DOF Mobile Robots Connecting Two Differential Drive Wheel Modules with Serial Link Mechanisms

Hiroyasu Sato, Toshifumi Kawaguchi, and Kenji Inoue

Yamagata University
4-3-16 Jonan, Yonezawa, Yamagata 992-8510, Japan

Corresponding author

Received:
March 14, 2025
Accepted:
September 11, 2025
Published:
December 20, 2025
Keywords:
wheeled mobile robot, omnidirectional mobile robot, differential drive, serial link mechanism, depth camera
Abstract

An omnidirectional mobile robot that consists of two differential drive wheel modules and two links is proposed. Free-rotating joints are used to connect the links with each other and the wheel modules with both ends of the connected links. A caster is attached to the bottom side of the joint that connects the links. A ball caster is also attached to the bottom side of the steering axis of each wheel module. The robot has four driving wheels, two for each module. The robot utilizes the four degrees of freedom (DOFs) of these wheels to control three DOFs for omnidirectional locomotion and one DOF for the angle between the two links. The robot can change its form by changing this angle; this modifies the stable region of the robot. The robot prevents itself from falling down a slope by extending the stable region downward on the slope. As the robot uses regular rubber tire wheels, it has a large load capacity and high stability on irregular road surfaces. A robot with a depth camera is developed. The movement of the robot toward a goal detected using this camera is controlled. Experimental results show that the robot can move in any direction on a horizontal plane.

Wheeled mobile robot with serial links

Wheeled mobile robot with serial links

Cite this article as:
H. Sato, T. Kawaguchi, and K. Inoue, “Omnidirectional Locomotion of 4-DOF Mobile Robots Connecting Two Differential Drive Wheel Modules with Serial Link Mechanisms,” J. Robot. Mechatron., Vol.37 No.6, pp. 1593-1601, 2025.
Data files:
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