Uncertainty-Handling Balance of a Unicycle Robot with Low-Power Flywheels

Abstract

Balance control and high-speed motion present significant challenges for unicycle robots, particularly when implementing stable control under low-power actuator constraints. This paper investigates balance and locomotion problems for unicycle robots with low-power flywheels in uncertain environments. Considering the limitations of existing control methods in disturbance rejection, operational speed, and steering stability, we propose a robust control framework with high uncertainty-handling ability. The system overcomes low-power constraints and enhances disturbance rejection performance by introducing center-of-mass velocity estimation, strategic under-compensation techniques, and a priority-based power allocation algorithm. Then, by decoupling the robot dynamics into three axes, we propose a comprehensive control scheme integrating delay compensation and lightweight torque control without current detection. Experiments under various conditions confirm the effectiveness of our approach in achieving stable operation at speeds up to 1 m/s and diverse movement capabilities. We won the first prize in China's National College Student Intelligent Vehicle Competition. See video on https://youtu.be/8UNbX0LAHjY.