omnidirectionally

Omnidirectionally is an adverb describing an action performed in all directions, or a property extending in all directions. The related adjective omnidirectional means covering, sensing, or propagating equally in all directions. The term derives from omni- meaning "all" and direction, with the adverbial suffix -ly.

In technology, devices described as omnidirectional aim for uniform performance around a full 360 degrees in the horizontal plane. Omnidirectional microphones capture acoustic energy from all directions; omnidirectional antennas radiate or receive signals with a roughly equal pattern in azimuth; omnidirectional cameras or 360-degree cameras record surrounding scenes. In robotics and motion systems, omnidirectional locomotion uses specialized wheels (such as Mecanum or omni-wheels) to move laterally or rotate while maintaining orientation. Lighting and acoustic sources may also be described as omnidirectional when they emit uniformly in all directions; in sensing, "omnidirectional" sensors are capable of detecting stimuli from multiple directions, not just a single point.

Because true isotropy is difficult to achieve in practice, real devices are approximately omnidirectional and may exhibit directional biases, nulls, or varying gains depending on the direction. The term is common in engineering, physics, audio, photography, and robotics.