Development of omni-directional mobile robots with mecanum wheels assisting the disabled in a factory environment

This paper shows omni-directional mobile robots that help the disabled to work in a factory environment. The functions of the robot were determined based on varied survey results. According to the survey results, the robot should be able to move freely in small and narrow spaces. To satisfy this condition, mecanum wheels were used for our robots. The mobility in small spaces, user convenience of controlling the robot, and user safety were considered in the development process of the robots. The first version of the developed robot was tested in an actual factory environment. The usefulness of this omni-directional drive mechanism was verified through the evaluation. Based on the evaluation results, the second version of the robot was developed. The second version has the improved mecanum wheels, body frame, and lift system. The developed robots are expected to provide assistance to disabled workers in a factory environment.