DESIGN, MODELING AND EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF A BALLBOT
Articles > Article · 2025
Authors: Hazin İNCİ, Hüseyin Deniz ÖZTÜRK, Erman SELİM, Enver TATLICIOĞLU
Mühendislik Bilimleri ve Tasarım Dergisi, Refereed Journals of Other Institutions, International, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM), 2025, vol 13, pp 1165-1177
Summary
In this study, the fundamental structure, dynamics and motion capabilities of the ballbot system were experimentally investigated. Stepper motors were used as actuators, single-row omniwheels as the wheels and an STM32 microcontroller as the main control unit in the system design. The wheels were positioned at an angle of 120° between each other and at a zenith angle of 45°. Euler angle data obtained from an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) in the system were processed using an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) to improve accuracy. Task priorities and execution times of the multitasking running on the STM32 were monitored with an oscilloscope to manage and track performance. The kinematic model of the ballbot was derived and a Proportional Derivative (PD) controller structure was employed for both balance and position tracking. To compensate for tilt error and drive the robot toward the desired direction, the sum of two PD components was applied. Experimental results successfully demonstrated the system’s ability to maintain balance and the effectiveness of the control algorithm. The study validates the practical applicability of theoretical models and the PD control strategy and provides an experimental reference.