Analysis and design of an omnidirectional platform for operation on non-ideal floors

An omnidirectional platform with an active offset split caster (ASOC) is described and its ability to operate on non-ideal floors is studied. It is shown that all of its driven wheels of the platform will remain in contact with an uneven floor at all times, a condition necessary to maintain good traction and dead-reckoning capabilities. It is shown that planning algorithms developed for an ideally flat floor perform adequately for a realistic uneven floor. Furthermore, it is shown that the ASOC design consumes less power than other conventional wheel omnidirectional designs and is more suitable for heavier loads. Analytical and experimental results are presented.