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Updated: Aug 23, 2025

The Modular Design and Production of an Intelligent Robot Based on a Closed-Loop Control Strategy
Published on: October 14, 2017
Wheeled Mobile Robots: State of the Art Overview and Kinematic Comparison Among Three Omnidirectional Locomotion
Luigi Tagliavini1, Giovanni Colucci1, Andrea Botta1
1Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, Turin, 10129 Italy.
Abstract:
In the last decades, mobile robotics has become a very interesting research topic in the field of robotics, mainly because of population ageing and the recent pandemic emergency caused by Covid-19. Against this context, the paper presents an overview on wheeled mobile robot (WMR), which have a central role in nowadays scenario. In particular, the paper describes the most commonly adopted locomotion strategies, perception systems, control architectures and navigation approaches. After having analyzed the state of the art, this paper focuses on the kinematics of three omnidirectional platforms: a four mecanum wheels robot (4WD), a three omni wheel platform (3WD) and a two swerve-drive system (2SWD). Through a dimensionless approach, these three platforms are compared to understand how their mobility is affected by the wheel speed limitations that are present in every practical application. This original comparison has not been already presented by the literature and it can be used to improve our understanding of the kinematics of these mobile robots and to guide the selection of the most appropriate locomotion system according to the specific application.
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