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ABSTRACT
Robotic tasks call for a range of steering activity: one extreme is highway driving with negligible turning for hundreds of kilometers; another is forklift handling, which calls for agile turning. The scope of this project considers steady state turning of a wheeled vehicle on natural terrain with slow but capable locomotors characteristic of planetary robotic vehicles. Experiments are performed using a two different vehicle models that implement both parallel(skid) and serial(Ackermann) steering while driving steady state circles. Skid steering is accomplished by creating a differential velocity between the inner and outer wheels. Ackermann steering is accomplished by changing the heading of the front wheels to cause a change in heading of the vehicle. Experimental results are gathered to provide information regarding power draw, individual wheel torque, and position information. The experimental results give a clear distinction between the two steering mechanisms and confirm the different conditions where they have advantages over each other.
