Mobile Robot Vehicles

Abstract

This chapter discusses how a robot platform moves, that is, how its pose changes with time as a function of its control inputs. There are many different types of robot platform as shown on pages 61–63 but in this chapter we will consider only two which are important exemplars. The first is a wheeled vehicle like a car which operates in a 2-dimensional world. It can be propelled forwards or backwards and its heading direction controlled by changing the angle of its steered wheels. The second platform is a quadrotor, a flying vehicle, which is an example of a robot that moves in 3-dimensional space. Quadrotors are becoming increasing popular as a robot platform since they can be quite easily modelled and controlled.

However before we start to discuss these two robot platforms it will be helpful to consider some general, but important, concepts regarding mobility.