Kinematic controllability and motion planning for the snakeboard

Abstract

The snakeboard is shown to possess two decoupling vector fields, and to be kinematically controllable. Accordingly, the problem of steering the snakeboard from a given configuration at rest to a desired configuration at rest is posed as a constrained static nonlinear inversion problem. An explicit algorithmic solution to the problem is provided, and its limitations are discussed. An ad hoc solution to the nonlinear inversion problem is also exhibited.