Floor‐cleaning robot using omni‐directional wheels

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an omni‐directional floor‐cleaning robot equipped with four omni‐directional wheels. The research purposes are to design a robot for cleaning jobs in domestic, narrow and crowded places and to provide a robotics‐study platform in a laboratory.

Design/methodology/approach

The robot system using Swedish wheels, one dust collector (brush) switching device and a sort of air‐bag sensing device is designed. The kinematics and the motion control conditions of the robot are analyzed. Specifically, a design method of wheels is described.

Findings

The configuration of the robot, parameters of the wheel and controlling methods are studied and demonstrated. The smooth locomotion capability and high‐working efficiency are verified by experiments.

Practical implications

The robot can perform its work in semi‐autonomous and tele‐operated mode. Moreover, the robot can pivot around, avoid obstacles and is provided with automatic power management system.

Originality/value

The research target is to provide a kind of robotic cleaner especially for crowded public or narrow places and educational robotics‐study platform in a laboratory.

Citation

Gao, X., Wang, Y., Zhou, D. and Kikuchi, K. (2009), "Floor‐cleaning robot using omni‐directional wheels", Industrial Robot, Vol. 36 No. 2, pp. 157-164. https://doi.org/10.1108/01439910910932612