Systems and methods for an autonomous mobile robot haptic feedback

A robot comprising:

• a force sensor configured to receive an input message characterizing a physical force exerted on the force sensor in a first direction;
• a processor configured to:
• determine a physical force input vector based on the input message and quantifying the physical force in two or more dimensions,
• upon determining that a triggering condition for navigational feedback is satisfied, determine a haptic force input vector to provide haptic navigational feedback via an omnidirectional mechanical drive unit, and
• determine a force output vector aggregating the physical force input vector and the haptic force input vector, the force output vector quantifying a force to apply to move the robot in a second direction;
• and
• an omnidirectional mechanical drive unit configured to move the robot within a physical environment via the omnidirectional mechanical drive unit in the second direction based on the force output vector.

One or more non-transitory computer readable media having instructions stored thereon for performing a method for controlling a robot including an omnidirectional mechanical drive unit, the method comprising:

• receiving from a force sensor an input message characterizing a physical force exerted on the force sensor in a first direction;
• determining via a processor a physical force input vector based on the input message and quantifying the physical force in two or more dimensions;
• upon determining that a triggering condition for navigational feedback is satisfied, determining a haptic force input vector to provide haptic navigational feedback via the omnidirectional mechanical drive unit;
• determining via the processor a force output vector aggregating the physical force input vector and the haptic force input vector, the force output vector quantifying a force to apply to move the robot in a second direction;
• transmitting an indication of the force output vector to the omnidirectional mechanical drive unit via a communication interface;
• and
• moving the robot within a physical environment via the omnidirectional mechanical drive unit in the second direction based on the force output vector.