Steerable wheel designs

[Max Lobovsky]

What designs have teams implemented to create steerable wheels, IE wheels that turn in more than one axis. Seems like most teams use tank-style steering and it might be interesting to see other types of steering methods. Pictures would be appreciated.

I was just curious. Obviously its too late in the game for this to be of any use this year, so answer freely :) .

[Greg Needel]

in first these types of drives are called crab drives and there are many examples in the gallery from previous years

if you also do a search for "crab drive" plenty of examples will be found


i personally think there wont be that many this year do to the steps but i could be wrong

[Joe Ross]

Here is another type of drive train that doesn't use either tank drive or steerable wheels: http://www.team857.com/pictures/2002season/kiwi.mpeg

And here's a completely different idea: http://www.rhodewarrior.org/2001/2001_RHIV.html and http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/pictures.php?s=&action=single&picid=272

[Madison]

The simplest steering drivetrain is, of course, one that uses a linkage to steer two unpowered wheels at either end of the robot.

Steering with powered wheels is more complicated, but certainly possible. Remember that it requires some sort of differential -- either mechanical or software in nature -- to operate properly.