SB-Bot : A Self-Balancing Robot

Sammanfattning: It is important to explore the possibilities of sustainable transportation systems in order to achieve a sustainable future. A two-wheeled vehicle, where the wheels are placed parallel to each other, is an option that is of interest to explore. This report explores the problems of modeling and constructing a prototype of a two-wheeled robot that is able to balance on its own. The aim of this thesis was to analyze the performance between theory and the prototype with respect to the rise time. The prototype was limited to independently balance on a flat surface in one direction with small angle deviations. The horizontal movement of all parts was assumed to be equal during balancing and other simplifications were made and justified in the report. The results showed that the rise time of the theoretical model was 0.420 seconds while the prototype’s was 0.451 seconds. The prototype was 0.031 seconds or 7.4% slower than the theoretical model. The reasons for this were discussed and possible sources of error could have been difficulties in calibrating the IMU, not considering the center of gravity in the tilting direction, difference in motors’ actual performance, among other reasons discussed in the report. The causes for the slower performance show room for improvement which could lower the difference to negligible levels unless higher precision is desired. The derived models could also be expanded to control position and velocity. Furthermore the scope can be expanded to handle larger angular deviations, movement in more than one direction and on uneven surfaces. Our thesis is one of the areas that is useful to explore in order to develop a two-wheeled self-balancing vehicle. In combination with further research there are possibilities of a realized product.