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Accurate odometry and navigation may well be the most important tasks of a mobile robot's control system. To solve this task it is necessary to utilize proper sensors which provide reliable information about the motion. This paper presents the prototype of an optical navigation sensor which can be an alternative choice for the dead reckoning navigation system of a vehicle or mobile robot. The last part of the paper presents another application in an inertial navigation system that enables a new approach to map making which incorporates vehicle dynamics into the world map.

Although the invention of the special wheels that move omnidirectional vehicles dates back to the seventies, advances in mechatronics, and control technology keep them constantly on the drawing table of engineers working with mobile robots. The need for eliminating human error becomes ever so obvious when human operators are managing expensive and/or powerful machinery, as the cost of failure can be very high. Omnidirectional platforms are not immune to human error either, however due to their unique working principle they require customized methods. This article presents a trajectory controller for omnidirectional transport robots that is able to correct their trajectory during braking even when high disturbances are present. A method for tuning the controller to achieve a desired behavior is presented. The results are demonstrated by simulation, in Modelica-Dymola environment.

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