Omni-Directional Mobility Using Active Split Offset Castors Available to Purchase

A new concept for omni-directional platform and vehicle design using active split offset castors is presented. An active split offset castor (ASOC) unit consists of two coaxial conventional wheels driven independently and connected to the platform chassis by a link. The kinematics and characteristics of the ASOC are analyzed and compared with conventional active castors and steered wheels. The concept of building omni-directional platforms and vehicles using the ASOC is presented and their design and control are discussed. Experimental results from a prototype omni-directional platform are presented, which demonstrate the feasibility of the concept.