Dynamically stable wheeled robot and related technology

A mobile robot comprising:

• a wheel configured to contact a ground surface;
• a plurality of additional wheels configured to contact the ground surface and spaced apart from the wheel;
• a support carried by the wheel and the plurality of additional wheels;
• a wheel-to-support connector through which the wheel is movably connected to the support;
• a first actuator and a second actuator configured to cause relative rotation between the wheel and the support about a first axis and a second axis, respectively, wherein the first and second axes are different from one another;
• a body carried by the support;
• a body-to-support connector through which the body is movably connected to the support;
• a third actuator and a fourth actuator configured to cause relative rotation between the body and the support about a third axis and a fourth axis, respectively, wherein the third and fourth axes are different from one another;
• and
• an arm carried by the body, wherein the mobile robot is configured to manipulate objects via the arm,
• wherein the mobile robot has:
• a statically stable operational state in which the wheel and the plurality of additional wheels are in contact with the ground surface and in which the support is stationary relative to the ground surface, and
• a dynamically stable operational state in which the wheel and the plurality of additional wheels are in contact with the ground surface and in which the support is in motion relative to the ground surface, and
• wherein the mobile robot further comprises a controller including:
• a processor, and
• memory storing instructions that, when executed via the processor, cause the mobile robot to maintain dynamic stability in the dynamically stable operational state via coordinated operation of at least the first actuator, the second actuator, the third actuator, and the fourth actuator.

A mobile robot comprising:

• a first wheel configured to contact a horizontal ground surface at a first location while the mobile robot operates on the horizontal ground surface;
• a second wheel configured to contact the horizontal ground surface at a second location different than the first location while the mobile robot operates on the horizontal ground surface;
• a third wheel configured to contact the horizontal ground surface at a third location different than the first location and different than the second location while the mobile robot operates on the horizontal ground surface;
• a support carried by the first wheel, the second wheel, and the third wheel;
• a joint carried by the support;
• a body connected to the support via the joint;
• an arm carried by the body, wherein the mobile robot is configured to manipulate objects via the arm;
• a first actuator configured to drive rotation of the first wheel relative to the support about a first axis;
• a second actuator configured to drive rotation of the first wheel relative to the support about a second axis different than the first axis;
• a third actuator configured to drive rotation of the body relative to the support via the joint;
• and
• a controller including:
• a processor, and
• memory storing instructions that, when executed via the processor, cause the mobile robot to maintain dynamic stability via coordinated operation of the first actuator, the second actuator, and the third actuator.