Component-Based Detailed Modeling of a Small Wheeled Mobile Robot with Indispensable Nonlinearities

This paper provides a component-based modeling of a small wheeled mobile robot with indispensable nonlinearities. We obtain a model of each fundamental component for a wheeled mobile robot, and then we provide the whole robot model by integrating the resultant component models. First, we model the DC motor considering the brush voltage drop and sink current effects. Second, we model the torque loss of the gearbox as a function of the angular velocity. Third, the rolling resistance and cornering resistance models are provided. Particularly, in measuring the cornering resistance, we use the computer vision with image processing technique. Then, we derive the cornering resistance model by numerical optimization. Moreover, we develop a differential wheeled robot as an experimental test-bed, and demonstrate the validity of each component model and the whole robot model by comparing with the experimental behaviors of the test-bed.