Kinematic Analysis Of A Two Body Articulated Robotic Vehicle

Abstract

The kinematic analysis of an articulated twin body, four-wheel, robotic vehicle is presented. Polaris, a research platform and contending robotic vehicle in the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition (IGVC) at Virginia Tech, was redesigned in 2006 to improve the mobility of the vehicle by incorporating an innovative four-bar linkage that connects the two bodies. The new linkage design minimizes vehicle off-tracking by allowing the rear wheels to closely track the path of the front wheels. This thesis will outline the theoretical kinematic model of the four-bar linkage as applied to a twin-bodied, differentially driven vehicle. The kinematic model is validated through computer simulation as well as experimentation on a fully operational robotic vehicle. The kinematic model presented here outlines the foundations for an autonomous, four-wheel drive, multi-body control system and opens avenues for dynamically controlling the tracking of the vehicle's rear body with an actuated linkage configuration.