A robot includes a cart sized to receive one or more objects, a moving part coupled to the cart, a handle assembly coupled to the cart, a first sensor coupled to the handle assembly and being configured to sense force applied to the handle assembly, and one or more controllers. Such controllers are configured to: map a magnitude of the force sensed by the first sensor to a speed or to a direction of movement using a pattern of changes in the force that is sensed by the first sensor; and cause the moving part to move the cart according to the speed or to the direction of movement based upon changes in the force sensed by the first sensor.

A method for controlling the an electric hand truck comprises the steps of: determining whether user manipulation is present due to a user input on the electric hand truck; and, if there is no user manipulation, then braking an electric motor that drives the wheels of the electric moving vehicle in a softlock manner in which, instead of power being applied to the electric motor, electrodes of the electric motor are short-circuited.

A gyroscopically-responsive power assisted moment arm is disclosed for use in connection with vehicles such as load carrying devices. A moment arm extends to a pivot point such that when a longitudinal force is applied at the moment arm, a sensor senses such force and outputs an energizing signal to a motor to drive a wheel. If a rotational or vertical force is applied to the moment arm, the motor need not be driven. According to the invention, therefore, a power assist can be provided to a user to drive a wheel in a desired direction of transport while not causing drive during tipping or unloading of the load carrying portion of the vehicle. Such an apparatus can be advantageously applied to a power assisted wheelbarrow, as one exemplary application.

A motorized movement device includes a frame, first and second wheels connected to the frame, and first and second motors connected respectively to the first and second wheels that are commandable by respective command signals. The motorized device also includes an inertial measuring unit configured to detect the longitudinal acceleration, pitch angular speed, and yaw angular speed of the movement device and for providing signals representative of the same. The motorized device also includes sensors for detecting speeds of the wheels and configured to provide signals representative thereof. The motorized device further includes a control unit comprising a module for estimating the slope, and longitudinal thrust exerted by a user to the device, yaw torque applied by the user. The control unit also includes a module for compensating the slope, a thrust amplifying module, a yaw torque amplifying module, and a torque allocating module.

A gyroscopically-responsive power assisted moment arm is disclosed for use in connection with vehicles such as load carrying devices. A moment arm extends to a pivot point such that when a longitudinal force is applied at the moment arm, a sensor senses such force and outputs an energizing signal to a motor to drive a wheel. If a rotational or vertical force is applied to the moment arm, the motor need not be driven. According to the invention, therefore, a power assist can be provided to a user to drive a wheel in a desired direction of transport while not causing drive during tipping or unloading of the load carrying portion of the vehicle. Such an apparatus can be advantageously applied to a power assisted wheelbarrow, as one exemplary application.

A motorized wagon system according to the present disclosure includes a frame, a base coupled to the frame, a first wheel set and a second wheel set connected to the base, a handle connected to the frame, and a control system. The control system includes a first sensor and a second sensor configured to measure two forces applied on different portions of the handle. The control system further includes a controller that controls the first wheel set based on measurements of the first sensor and the second wheel set based on measurements of the second sensor.

A power assist system for a wagon having a safety cut-off system is provided. The power assist system preferably includes a wagon body having a plurality of wheels, at least one of which is a driven wheel, a pivotable handle, a drive system having a motor mechanically connected to the driven wheel, a microcontroller that obtains an input signal and provides an output signal to the drive system and, a safety cut-off system connected to the handle. In one embodiment the safety cut-off system includes a safety-control switch electrically connected to the microcontroller, and the microcontroller adjusts the signal sent to the drive system based on a state of the safety-control switch.

Respective electric drive motors (13a, 13b) drive left and right drive wheels (10a, 10b) having friction brakes, including an electromechanical service brake (31a, 31b) and an auxiliary brake (32a, 32b) mechanically biasing them to a braked state. An elongate handlebar (16) for user control is mounted via a pair of force-sensing couplings (17a, 17b) including a resilient member (18) and a load sensor (19) sensing forces applied by a user to the handlebar and transmitting respective load signals. A controller (37) receives the load signals and controls a current applied to the electric drive motors (13a, 13b) so as to amplify the force sensed by the force-sensing couplings and to generate a torque proportional to a force applied by the user to the handlebar and to actuate an electric release actuator of the auxiliary brake (32a, 32b) when the force applied by the user to the handlebar exceeds a threshold.

Disclosed is a charging cart for charging an electric vehicle according to various embodiments of the present invention for solving the described problem. The charging cart for charging an electric vehicle may comprise: a body; a handle extending from the body so as to come in contact with a user's body; a sensor unit connected to the handle so as to acquire sensing information corresponding to external force related to contact with the user's body; a travel unit for permitting movement of the body; a sensing unit for acquiring travel state information related to whether the body is movable; a driving unit for applying driving force to the travel unit; and a control unit for controlling the driving unit on the basis of the travel state information and the sensing information corresponding to the external force.

A moving body includes: a plurality of wheels capable of rotating around a plurality of rotating shafts disposed on a circumference around a common axis; and a supporting unit supporting the plurality of rotating shafts to be capable of revolving around the axis. A first power source is connected to the plurality of wheels to be capable of transmitting power so as to rotate the plurality of wheels. A second power source is connected to the supporting unit to be capable of transmitting power so as to revolve the plurality of wheels.