Systematic design, analysis, and control of mobile robot traveling simulator using optical mice

This paper presents a systematic approach to the design, analysis, and control of the mobile traveling simulator using optical mice. In the mobile robot traveling simulator, a traveling surface sample is made to rotate relatively to stationary optical mice, and the installations of optical mice can be changed according to a given velocity of a mobile robot under simulation. First, for structural simplicity and user convenience, three designs of the mobile robot traveling simulator are proposed, which allow 1 DOF to 3 DOF mobile robot traveling simulation. Second, the velocity kinematics of the mobile robot traveling simulator is formulated, which represents the relationship of the velocity measurements of optical mice between the mobile robot traveling simulator and a mobile robot under simulation. Third, for a given velocity of a mobile robot under simulation, the optimal parameter setting of the mobile robot traveling simulator is described, which renders a mobile robot traveling simulation as complete as possible. Fourth, simulation results are given to demonstrate the differences among three designs of the mobile robot traveling simulator.