Spherical Induction Motors for Mobile Robots

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Research Objectives and Approaches:The objective of this research is to create the first spherical induction motor with unlimited rotation and to characterize its performance, principally for use as a spherical robot wheel. The outcome offers reduced mechanical complexity and higher performance when compared with traditional mechanical methods. The approach concentrates on the inductance principle, depending heavily on material characterization, 3D magnetic simulation, solid modeling, electronic circuit design, and real-time software development, keeping in mind the primary application to dynamically stable single-wheel robots. Intellectual Merit:The research develops a spherical induction motor permitting direct torque generation and rotation about arbitrary axes with a minimum of mechanical friction or backlash. The results provide an exemplar for a new class of motor, permitting quantitative comparisons with more traditional solutions. The successful outcome simplifies mechanics, improves performance, and lowers the cost of dynamically stable single-wheel mobile robots.Broader Impacts:The research investigates important issues in the technology of direct drive spherical actuation which are likely to be generally applicable. The research enhances what is already a new and different approach to mobile robot locomotion, furthering the strong public interest in dynamically stable mobile robots around the world. Besides research experiences for students working on the project, course work offered by two different departments at Carnegie Mellon University is enhanced, exposing students to issues of electromagnetic design, manufacturing, and characterization. The outreach activities expose high school students to hands-on research. There is strong international collaboration with Tohoku Gakuin University in Japan.