US Patent 10556630 Friction drive system and methods for use

An example implementation includes a robotic system including a first wheel and a second wheel configured to rotate about a first axis. Each wheel of the first wheel and the second wheel includes a contact surface and a motor coupled to a rotatable component. Each motor is configured to rotate the rotatable component about a respective second axis. The rotatable component is frictionally engaged with the contact surface such that a rotation of the rotatable component about the respective second axis is translated to a rotation of the wheel about the first axis. The robotic system further includes a controller configured to operate the motor of the first wheel and the motor of the second wheel in order to cause the robotic system to maintain its balance and navigate within an environment based on data received from one or more sensors.