Modeling, Control and Prototype of an Omnidirectional Mobile Robot for Applications in Gait Training

The field of assistive robotics is experiencing rapid growth due to recent advancements in computing, control systems, and instrumentation. Physiotherapeutic methods, such as gait rehabilitation and learning, are frequently deployed to teach and aid individuals with disabilities, particularly children with cerebral palsy (CP), as enhancing mobility is crucial for their overall health and future independence. These methods can be enhanced through assistive technologies, which can streamline treatment, reduce the physical burden on physiotherapists, boost the efficiency of therapeutic techniques, and improve the precision and consistency of therapeutic movements. This work introduces the modeling, control, and prototyping of an omnidirectional mobile platform designed for assistive robotics applications, with the goal of expanding movement possibilities during rehabilitation. The paper addresses issues like the impact of holonomic approximations on dynamic modeling, proposes a control architecture, and presents a cost-effective generalized omnidirectional robotic platform integrated with ROS as a physical scale prototype.