Rollbot: a Spherical Robot Driven by a Single Actuator
This work provides a novel approach to simplifying spherical robot design for researchers in robotics, though it is an incremental step as it only demonstrates basic planar motion.
Rollbot is the first spherical robot that achieves controlled 2D planar motion using only a single actuator, challenging the conventional need for two actuators. It demonstrates controllable circular motion and waypoint following through quasi-stable state dynamics and control laws.
Spherical robots typically require at least two actuators to achieve controlled 2D planar motion. Here we present Rollbot, the first spherical robot capable of controllably maneuvering on a 2D plane with a single actuator, challenging this assumption. Rollbot rolls on the ground in a circular pattern and controls its motion by changing the trajectory's curvature by accelerating and decelerating its single motor and the attached mass according to our derived quasi-stable state dynamics and control laws. We present the theoretical analysis, design, and control of Rollbot, and demonstrate its ability to move in a controllable circular pattern and follow waypoints, validating the efficacy of the proposed theoretical framework.