A method of stability analysis for autonomous wheeled robots

In this project, a mobile robot called Shrimp III, a six-motorized-wheeled innovative space rover with extended climbing abilities, has been modified to equip a vision system or necessary sensor devices in order to enhance the robot's function and usage. Two on-board processors, Stargate---XScale Network Interface and Single Board Computer, provide fast computation for tasks such as image or data processing, path planning, obstacle avoidance. The new system with modified structure has been modeled using both the traditional "centroid" method and also 3-D tool for Center of Gravity (CoG) calculations. A "Center of Gravity changing with time" continuous function is used for the stability analysis, incorporating a Safety Space concept. An algorithm using the analytical results can be used as part of the trajectory planning work. Simulation in MATLAB has been conducted to give the results for demonstrating the effectiveness of the method. Simulation in 3D software and experiments using the shrimp robot in a structured staircase-and-slope have also been performed to illustrate the implementation and evaluation of the Safety Space framework put forth by this thesis. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...