Kinetic Stability for Three-Wheel Robots Under Varying Loads

Mobile robots have extensive applications and development prospects in factory automation manufacturing, logistics, aerospace centers, and other fields. Among mobile robots, wheeled robots are the most widely applied due to their significant advantages on relatively flat surfaces. Ensuring the robot’s motion stability is paramount when varying load status are applied. This chapter primarily focuses on three-wheeled robots, which typically employ a single front wheel and dual rear wheel drive mechanism. Through the establishment of a motion model, this chapter combines the motion parameters of all three wheels during turning movements with their respective balance limits under different loads from both mechanical and kinematic perspectives. By incorporating the dimension of a robot, their stability is studied. Results indicate that during turning motions of three-wheeled mobile robots, its velocity and angular velocity have mutual influences regarding keeping the stability. Maintaining relative stability between these two parameters and controlling the cargo position to shift the center of gravity toward the rear wheels and opposite the turning direction ensures kinetic balance, though within certain limits. The conclusions provide guidance for stability control in practical applications of wheeled robots.