Design and Control of a Mobile Steward Platform With Four Independent Wheels

Abstract

For today's automated vehicles and robots' technologies in driving dynamics, the elasticity in movements has a critical role. These movements can be simulated by using some platforms which are staying on balance. It is possible to perform a few linear and angular movements according to the platform model. The purpose of this study is to provide an independent drive and keep the carrier shaft on balance while the vehicle is on the move. The steering system on the vehicle has been specialized and a balancing platform on the vehicle has been achieved to keep the balance. The vehicle in this study has four wheels and they; all have been independently designed and controlled for the requested rotation. Ackermann Steering Geometry has been used for calculations of wheel angles. In this study, the Stewart platform which has a 3x3 connection model and parallel structure has been designed. It is possible to make different linear and angular moves with this model of the platform. The steering system and platform designs have been mounted as one unit of the structure by assembling. The system can be operated manually and automatically. A mobile application has been also developed to monitor the status of the system. After all, using MATLAB simulation, its made phase space limit control of the orientations of the platform's center point relative to the x, y, and z axes has been studied.