For K-12 Students · Differential Drive
Differential Drive for a pipe-inspection robot
Built for k-12 students learning it in middle or high school. Watch the idea come alive with plain-language steps and everyday examples — perfect for projects and homework. Simulate a pipe-inspection robot live below — adjust the inputs and watch it respond, right in your browser.
Differential Drive RobotLive
wheel speeds → path
Controls
Presets
A differential-drive robot steers by spinning its two wheels at different speeds — like a tank. Equal speeds go straight, a difference curves the path, and opposite speeds spin in place. Its forward speed is the average of the wheels and its turn rate is their difference over the wheelbase.
Data Inspector
Forward v2.50
Turn rate ω0.030
Turn radius83
Governing equation
Reading this result: The faster right wheel pushes the robot into an arc that curves toward the slower left side, with radius set by how close the two speeds are.
Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.
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Frequently asked questions
- Is this good for k-12 students?
- Yes — this version of "Differential Drive for a pipe-inspection robot" is framed for k-12 students learning it in middle or high school. Watch the idea come alive with plain-language steps and everyday examples — perfect for projects and homework.
- Do I need to install anything?
- No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.