Adaptive 6 DOF Self-Balancing Platform for Autonomous Vehicles

Parallel manipulators with six degrees of freedom are utilized in many applications. In this paper, a Stewart manipulator is used as a robust vehicle stabilizer to control the orientation and direction of the top platform. A detailed kinematic analysis of a Stewart platform is established in order to control the extensions of linear actuators. This analysis is formulated to cope with the design of vehicle stabilizer. The design and selection of mechanical components including primary joints is accomplished based on comprehensive dynamic simulation. After validating simulation results of proposed design, they were implemented in to build a physical model. To improve system accuracy and performance, and to eliminate associated vibrations, a linear regression model of ground rise is embedded in the system to estimate and predict upcoming elevations. This has lowered the percentage error of platform orientation, made the system more stable.