Energy Modeling and Experimental Validation of Four-Wheel Mecanum Mobile Robots for Energy-Optimal Motion Control

Four-wheel Mecanum mobile robots (FWMRs) are widely used in transportation because of their omnidirectional mobility. However, the FWMR trades off energy efficiency for flexibility. To efficiently predict the energy consumption of the robot movement processes, this paper proposes a power consumption model for the omnidirectional movement of an FWMR. A power consumption model is of great significance for reducing the power consumption, motion control, and path planning of robots. However, FWMRs are highly maneuverable, meaning their control is complicated and their energy modeling is extremely complex. The speed, distance, path, and power consumption of the robot can vary greatly depending on the control method. This energy model was mathematically implemented in MATLAB and validated by our laboratory's Mecanum wheel robot. The prediction accuracy of the model was over 95% through simulation and experimental verification.