cool new wheels on prototype this

FireHopper

http://www.airtrax.com/technology/index.html

now if only they made them smaller for robots [noparse]:)[/noparse]

DJSandberg

There are smaller omni directional wheels available. Take a look at McMaster Carr part number 2289T3 and at Acroname.
http://www.acroname.com/robotics/parts/R143-8CM-POLY-ROLLER-3.html

The wheels are mounted 45 degrees from what makes sense. It's really strange to see a robot move with these wheels. Like watching a sidewinder.

Daryl

gelfling6

I've also seen Omni-Wheels used by some of the local Robotics teams for their F.I.R.S.T. projects.. Pretty sure they were commercially made, but a series of flat rollers placed diagonally between two aluminum plates.. By rolling the 4 wheels independantly, you could move in several different directions.. Quite a few of the robots in the recent "OverDrive" competition, could make the oval in a pointed pattern. < > instead of ( ) , without needing to turn the robot's body.

VEX, just prior to Radioshack dumping them, also made a omnidirectional wheel, all plastic, a series of rollers placed horizontally on the face of the wheel. but, mainly for quicker turning, than movement. (less wheel drag)

there are a few videos on YouTube (cut/past URL ) that use the type of wheels I saw, including, some that AirTrax make.

the VEX wheels, still available (for same price Radioshack sold them originally) at http://www.vexrobotics.com/vex-robotics-omni-directional-wheel-kit.shtml