Sharing motor(s) tranmissions in Swerve drive

[RogerR]

Originally Posted by Tristan Lall

I was just thinking, 67's 2005 robot (the 3-wheeled omnidirectional system) might have had 3 independently rotated drive modules. (A robot with 3 independently steered modules can perform the same maneouvres as one with 4.) See here for apparent confirmation of this fact.

67's 2005 machine definitely had it, as did 312's 2006 machine (the latter heavily influenced by the former). the drive configuration of the simswerve would also lend itself to the same maneuverability of the 4 wheel independent. i think what is notable about the 47 bots' modules is not the fact that they are independently steered, but rather the fact that there are 4 of them that were independently steered.

[Tristan Lall]

Originally Posted by RogerR

i think what is notable about the 47 bots' modules is not the fact that they are independently steered, but rather the fact that there are 4 of them that were independently steered.

I know, and of course Karthik knows, given SimSwerve; I'm just pointing that out so that others realize that 47's implementation wasn't the only one that allowed for arbitrary planar motion.

Incidentally, 47's 2001 and 67's 2005 designs drive all of their points of contact; 47's 2000 and 1114's 2005 drive only two points of contact, and leave the other two as casters—this retains maneouverability, but sacrifices maximum pushing force (because the total normal force on the driven wheels is lower, and they therefore exert less friction).