Version 2.0
Segway RMP – User Guide
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Error Conditions
The Segway RMP may encounter certain environmental conditions that prevent balancing
operation. Some of the more commonly encountered conditions are listed below.
Excessive pitch angle: If the RMP pitch angle exceeds 45 degrees forward or backward, it will
disable power. This is because the RMP controller is unlikely to be able to restore balance once
the machine has tilted past this angle.
Excessive roll angle: The RMP will disable power if the roll angle exceeds 60 degrees.
Excessive distance from commanded location: The RMP balance controller is designed to hold
position based on several controller error terms. If the wheels on the RMP rotate too far from the
original resting location (an equivalent of 12 feet of displacement) the RMP will disable Balance
Mode and switch to Tractor Mode. This condition may occur if the wheels are slipping, a
disturbance force pushes the RMP away from the equilibrium position, or some other condition is
preventing the controller from reaching its equilibrium point (e.g. the machine is lifted off the
ground).
Electrical Frame Fault: The RMP has been designed with a redundant propulsion system. These
systems maintain electrical isolation in order to preserve capability in the event of certain failures.
If an electrical connection is made between the two systems, the RMP will perform a safety
shutdown. The most likely cause of this fault is connecting CAN channel ground to the frame of
the machine. An optically isolated cable is required for any CAN-based communication
architecture.
The Segway RMP firmware may be updated from time to time. Refer to the “Segway Robotic
Mobility Platform Interface Guide” for detailed information regarding error conditions.
