The Rolling Stone
A Spherical Wheel Drive Mechanism
Software, Control and Electronics
The Build
-Structure
-Friction Drive
-Tension Wheel
-Electronics
-Assembly
Applications and Advantages
The multi-directional capabilities of the Spherical Wheel lead to many applications including omnimobile (able to move with no restrictions in two dimensions) robots, small radio-controlled devices, and automobiles.
Omnimobile Robot Advantages:
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Only 3 joints are needed for complete freedom of motion, compared to six for standard one-degree-of-freedom joints.
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Fewer Joints leads to greater precision of movement due to reduction of ‘play’.
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Reduces complexity, size, and cost.
Radio-controlled Device Advantages:
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More compact than the offset two wheel designs needed to achieve zero turning radius.
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Able to go in any direction at any orientation, including sideways.
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More maneuverable in small spaces.
Automobile Advantages:
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Increases vehicle stability because the wheels are able to rotate in any direction, not just one as in standard cylindrical wheels.
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Fish-tailing and rollovers are drastically decreased or even eliminated.
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Cars are more maneuverable, able to move stably in any direction, including sideways, even at high speeds.
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Parallel Parking is no longer a problem, which leads to more efficient use of space in cities.