Wheeled robots dominate the autonomous transportation of materials, products, and equipment across warehouses, manufacturing facilities, logistics centers, and service environments. Their mobility architectures range from highly autonomous AMRs that determine their own routes to AGVs that follow fixed guidance systems, with wheel configurations and navigation approaches optimized for different operational requirements.
Mobile connectivity
An AMR's control and perception loops run on wired links, where timing is guaranteed. Wireless connects the robot to everything outside itself: fleet systems, monitoring tools, and the technician performing setup or diagnostics. Some technologies can
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Mobile controls and sensing
Wheel drive is the densest subsystem in an AMR: it draws on more component categories than any other function. The reason is the closed loop. Driving a wheel means switching power, sensing the result, conditioning the signal, and acting on it in real
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Mobile power management
Everything in an AMR runs from one battery, and power management is the layer between that battery and every rail in the system. Power management includes converting battery voltages to different subsystem levels, keeping the battery healthy, and dis
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Mobile wheel drive
Wheel drive is the densest subsystem in an AMR: it draws on more component categories than any other function. The reason is the closed loop. Driving a wheel means switching power, sensing the result, conditioning the signal, and acting on it in real
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Common mobile robot configurations
| Type | Wheel configuration | Navigation approach | Typical setting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Differential drive AMR | 2 driven wheels + casters | Dynamic — maps and plans its own routes | Warehouse floor stock movement |
| Tricycle / synchro-drive AMR | 1 steer-drive wheel + 2 free | Dynamic | Service delivery in mixed-traffic spaces |
| Omnidirectional AMR (mecanum/omni wheels) | 4 independently driven | Dynamic, with lateral movement | Tight-aisle and high-density logistics |
| Fleet-coordinated AMR | Varies by platform | Dynamic, centrally orchestrated | Large distribution centers |
| Automated guided vehicle (AGV) | Typically 2 driven, fixed path | Fixed — follows physical guidance (magnetic tape, QR codes, wires) | Stable, repeatable transport routes |
Despite these differences, wheeled mobile robots are built from a common set of underlying electronic functions.
Explore the solution architecture above to discover the technologies that enable motion control, environmental perception, connectivity, localization, and efficient energy management across a wide range of mobile robotic platforms.