The Elastic View Graph Framework for Autonomous, Surface-based 3D-SLAM Part II: Global Layer and Experiments (Schritthaltendes flächenbasiertes 3D-SLAM mit elastisch gekoppelten Teilkarten)

Abstract

This paper covers the global aspects of a new SLAM framework introduced in [9]. The map is a graph of overlapping range views, linked by multiple uncertain hypotheses of motion and correspondence. They form the interface between local pose estimation and globally consistent mapping. In order to prune the hypotheses and reduce the brittleness of the local algorithms, we propose a novel cooperation between image-based and odometric motion estimates, and a geometric-probabilistic visibility model for oriented surface features which can also discern moving objects. Global loop closing works by exchanging hypotheses, priorized on a node ambiguity measure to bound the update complexity. The cycle error in frame space is used as a consistency criterion. The new concepts were tested and evaluated during several indoor exploration tours.