For Hobbyists & Makers · Differential Drive
Differential Drive for a robot vacuum
Built for hobbyists & makers exploring it for fun. Play with real physics and math, no license and no setup — just open and tinker. Simulate a robot vacuum 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 hobbyists & makers?
- Yes — this version of "Differential Drive for a robot vacuum" is framed for hobbyists & makers exploring it for fun. Play with real physics and math, no license and no setup — just open and tinker.
- Do I need to install anything?
- No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.