What does "Non-holonomic Constraints" mean?

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Non-holonomic constraints are restrictions on the movement of a system that cannot be expressed as simple equations involving the coordinates of the system. Instead, they often relate to the speeds or velocities of the components in a way that limits how they can move together.

For example, think about a car that can only move forward or backward. If the car is allowed to turn, the way it rotates while moving forward creates a restriction on how the car can change its speed and direction. This is a non-holonomic constraint because the restrictions depend on the speeds and not just the positions.

In many mechanical systems, such as robots or cars, these constraints play a big role in controlling their movement. They influence how we design the system and how we plan its paths, ensuring that it behaves as expected while following the rules of its environment.