This chapter is devoted to the design of robots, with a focus on serial architectures. In this regard, we start by proposing a stepwise design procedure; then, we recall the main issues in robot design. These issues pertain to workspace geometry, the kinetostatic, the dynamic, the elastostatic, and elastodynamic performance. In doing this, the mathematics behind the concepts addressed is briefl...

This paper presents a modular method for 3D dynamic simulation of wheeled mobile robots (WMRs). Our method extends efficient dynamics algorithms based on spatial vector algebra to accommodate any articulated WMR configuration. In contrast to some alternatives, our method also supports complex, nonlinear wheel-ground contact models. Instead of directly adding contact forces, we solve for them in...

Mobile and/or autonomous robots represent a widely approached research subject. The most common problems associated to all the types of mobile robots refers to the spatial orientation system and to the mathematical models. Additionally, many difficulties are generated taking into consideration practical aspects of implementation, but the technology evolution made possible to develop smaller siz...

The paper deals with the modeling and control strategies of the motion of wheeled mobile robots. The model of the vehicle has two driving wheels and the angular velocities of the two wheels are independently controlled. First, the vehicle kinematics model and the control strategies using a feedforward compensator are analyzed. Second, fuzzy reactive control of a mobile robot motion in an unknow...

We report here the holonomy analysis of three wheeled mobile robots. Two of these, Vuton II and Nomad, have full mobility and are claimed by their inventors to be holonomic. We show that, in fact, they are nonholonomic. Nevertheless, conditions are given under which these robots can be designed for quasiholonomy, a concept introduced elsewhere and recalled here. The third robot, Quasimoro, has ...