This project was a part of my undergraduate research under Asst. Prof. Dr. Rajeevlochana Chittawadigi, Amrita University, India, and explores innovative approaches to designing and controlling omni-wheel based mobile robots, resulting in two key contributions to the field of mobile robotics.

Intuitive Gesture-Based Control: We developed a three-wheeled omni-directional mobile platform that can be controlled through both traditional Bluetooth mobile applications and the cutting-edge Leap Motion gesture control device. After validating the robot's mathematical model through V-REP simulations, we built a physical prototype and conducted user studies with participants. Our findings revealed that both control methods were perceived as equally intuitive and user-friendly, with participants suggesting that gesture-based control via Leap Motion could become increasingly preferred with continued use, pointing toward a more natural, contactless future for human-robot interaction.

Two Degree-of-Freedom Translation Platform: Recognizing that many robotic applications require pure translational motion without yaw rotation, we proposed a novel cost-effective solution using only two active motors instead of the conventional four. We designed and compared two configurations: Type-X and Type-O, through comprehensive kinematic analysis, V-REP simulations, and physical prototyping. The Type-O configuration proved superior, achieving precise 2-DOF translational motion with negligible unwanted rotation, making it ideal for applications like payload transport where platform orientation must remain constant.