Control algorithm for holonomic robot that balances on single spherical wheel

Abstract

This paper presents the control algorithm for the new type of robot that balances on a single spherical wheel. This type of robot is called Ballbot and unlike other statically stable robots, it has a high gravity centre and a very small footprint. The robot is dynamically stable, which means that if the controller stops working, the entire construction will fall over. Because of that, it needs a special control algorithm to keep the balance. The presented Ballbot is fitted with sensors such as gyroscope and accelerometer and controls motors with omni-directional wheels to move the robot in any direction. This paper presents theoretical information about balancing robots and the most important elements of the robot. Next, the design concept of the controller based on STM32 family, control algorithms and filters were proposed and implemented. In the final section of this paper, the investigation results were presented and discussed.