Modelling and Experimental Validation of Articulated Mobile Robots with Hybrid Locomotion System

In recent years, autonomous vehicles and mobile robots are starting to become a trend also in several new fields of application. In some cases, they are articulated vehicles with an active front module and a rear one that is pulled passively or that can contribute to the vehicle traction when required. Although modelling of mobile robots is not a novelty, most of the available studies are limited to kinematic or very basic dynamic models. In order to correctly simulate mobile robots with fast dynamics or operating off-road, this study proposes a dynamic model of such systems derived taking into account lateral and longitudinal slip in the wheels. The model is then validated experimentally using a small articulated robot.