Design and Implementation of a Wheeled Mobile Robot Navigation System for Applications in Hospital Usage
The Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Technology recently held a a PhD thesis defense in Applied Mechanics titled “Design and Implementation of a Wheeled Mobile Robot Navigation System for Applications in Hospital Usage.” The thesis, authored by Asaad Zafer Abdul Sahib, explored the theoretical and experimental aspects of designing and manufacturing a Four-Mecanum-Wheeled Mobile Robot (FMWMR) for transporting logistical items in hospital environments.
The research utilized kinematic and dynamic models of the FMWMR to investigate the unique omnidirectional movement enabled by Mecanum wheels. The robot was designed using Solidworks software, incorporating specific carriers with an inclined surface to ensure loads are constrained to the robot’s center of gravity, making it suitable for hospital applications.
Key findings from the study include:
- The Model Reference Adaptive Control (MRAC) system demonstrated excellent performance in minimizing tracking errors, achieving values as low as (0.007, 0.0081, 0.0) in the (x, y, θ) directions under various disturbances.
- A comparison between the basic Probabilistic Roadmap (PRM) and the modified PRM revealed that the modified approach generates up to 50 path points, resulting in a smoother and more efficient path compared to the standard PRM.
The thesis defense committee comprised:
- Prof. Sadeq Hussein Bakhy (Chairman)
- Prof. Qasim Abbas Atiyah (Member)
- Prof. Wajdi Sadiq Abboud (Member)
- Asst. Prof. Dr. Firas Abdul Razzaq Rahim (Member)
- Asst. Prof. Dr. Imad Abdul Hussain Abdul Sahib (Member)
The research was supervised by Prof. Hassan Mohammed Alwan. This work highlights the potential of advanced robotic systems in improving logistical operations within hospital settings.
