Energy Considerations for Wheeled Mobile Robots Operating on a Single Battery Discharge

Abstract

This paper presents an energetic model that analyzes energy utilization in mobile robot traverse and estimates maximum range achievable by wheeled mobile robots operating on a single battery discharge. After taking into account different energy uti- lizations, such as propulsion and steering, the model indicates that the most energy- consuming part of mobile robot is robotics functions, such as computing, sensing, communication, etc. Based on this it points out ways to improve maximum robot traverse range: increasing rover velocity, driving duty cycle (ratio of driving time to total mission time), and decreasing robotics functions’ power. Considering the signifi- cant energy proportion of robotics functions, the leftover propulsive consumptions are analyzed, which directly determine the maximum range using a classic terramechanics model. The proportions of energy expended in internal robot system and external inter- action with terrain are quantified with experiments using a small-sized 4-wheel robot. The maximum traverse range of wheeled-mobile robots could be significant, for exam- ple 17km with only 1.12kg battery (166 watts-hour), if the normally immense robotics consumptions are minimized or isolated from the propulsive branch. The resulting propulsion energy, which is only a small fraction of total battery energy expended, is used to estimate achievable range for wheeled mobile robots operating only on a single discharge.