Remote control system for a mobile platform with four Mecanum wheels

Abstract

Providing the industry with efficient transportation systems is of utmost importance and academic research on this topic deserves encouragement from governmental institutions. In many workplaces the space is reduced. Ensuring the required manoeuvrability of mobile platforms inside such environments is quite a challenge. Anthropomorphic robots are not a viable option in most situations. Usually, mobile platforms - including mobile robots - with wheels are the most cost effective option, but the use of traditional steering systems leads to severe constraints regarding freedom of movements. The use of omnidirectional steering systems allows overcoming this limitation. Since its invention, Mecanum wheels have been used on various mobile platforms, including Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGV), enabling them to perform omnidirectional movements. This paper describes a robust, intuitive and functional remote control system for a mobile platform with four Mecanum wheels, capable of performing rotation movements, translation movements and movements resulting from simultaneous rotation and translation. The system was designed in order to maximize the freedom of movements of the platform. A graphical interface for monitoring several parameters inherent to the operation of the platform is also presented.