A Single Motor Mobile Robot with Passive wheels: A propulsion mechanism and a robotic realization

This study proposes a passive-wheeled mobile robot that propels itself with a single motor. Its propulsion principle is basically the same as that of a snakeboard: maintain the symmetrical orientation in the front and rear wheels and drive the rotor to obtain propulsive force. This process is rhythmically and alternatively repeated between the left and right directions. A feature of mechanism is that the single motor driving the rotor is fixed with an allowance to the body. Utilizing the rotation caused by this allowance, the wheel orientations are switched until the limiter positions. The propulsion mechanism is tested using an actual robot. The effect of the rotor weight and spring attachments is also experimentally investigated.