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Subject: 2.7 How do I build a steering system?
Content-Language: en
Topic-Level: 0
Revision: Robert Munafo, 1999-07-13
Location: /robotics/rcx/
Comment: Topic-level is inaccurate pending a reference for topic
levels
<p>The most simple approach is to drive at least one wheel, tread, or leg
with one motor and at least one wheel, tread or leg with another
motor. Then you steer by controlling the speed of the two motors
relative to each other. </p>
<p>Since motors are never perfectly matched in speed or torque, this
results in a design which doesn't quite go in a straight line. To
solve this you can use an alternate steering design, like one motor to
drive both wheels and a second motor to turn an axle connected to a
rack-and-pinion type steering mechanism. (Don't use the same wheels to
push the robot forwards and back unless you want a real
challenge!)</p>
<p>Or, you can use a sum-difference transmission to connect two motors
to two axles in such a way that the first motor produces the sum of
the wheels' rotary motion and the other motor produces their
difference. Some particularly good designs are shown at:</p>
<blockquote>
<a href="http://phred.org/~alex/lego/dadsdesign.html">
http://phred.org/~alex/lego/dadsdesign.html </a>
<p>
<a href="http://members.xoom.com/legorobotica/project4/camcart_en.html">
http://members.xoom.com/legorobotica/project4/camcart_en.html </a>
</blockquote>
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