LiDAR-based Simultaneous Localization And Mapping Research Articles

When-to-Loop: Enhanced Loop Closure for LiDAR SLAM in Urban Environments Based on SCAN CONTEXT

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSSs) frequently encounter challenges in providing reliable navigation and positioning within urban canyons due to signal obstruction. Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) offers an alternative for autonomous navigation, but they are susceptible to accumulating errors. To mitigate these influences, a LiDAR-based Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) system is often employed. However, these systems face challenges in drift and error accumulation over time. This paper presents a novel approach to loop closure detection within LiDAR-based SLAM, focusing on the identification of previously visited locations to correct time-accumulated errors. Specifically, the proposed method leverages the vehicular drivable area and IMU trajectory to identify significant environmental changes in keyframe selection. This approach differs from conventional methods that only rely on distance or time intervals. Furthermore, the proposed method extends the SCAN CONTEXT algorithm. This technique incorporates the overall distribution of point clouds within a region rather than solely relying on maximum height to establish more robust loop closure constraints. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is validated through experiments conducted on the KITTI dataset with an enhanced accuracy of 6%, and the local scenarios exhibit a remarkable improvement in accuracy of 17%, demonstrating improved robustness in loop closure detection for LiDAR-based SLAM.

Advancing Global Pose Refinement: A Linear, Parameter-Free Model for Closed Circuits via Quaternion Interpolation.

Global pose refinement is a significant challenge within Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) frameworks. For LIDAR-based SLAM systems, pose refinement is integral to correcting drift caused by the successive registration of 3D point clouds collected by the sensor. A divergence between the actual and calculated platform paths characterizes this error. In response to this challenge, we propose a linear, parameter-free model that uses a closed circuit for global trajectory corrections. Our model maps rotations to quaternions and uses Spherical Linear Interpolation (SLERP) for transitions between them. The intervals are established by the constraint set by the Least Squares (LS) method on rotation closure and are proportional to the circuit's size. Translations are globally adjusted in a distinct linear phase. Additionally, we suggest a coarse-to-fine pairwise registration method, integrating Fast Global Registration and Generalized ICP with multiscale sampling and filtering. The proposed approach is tested on three varied datasets of point clouds, including Mobile Laser Scanners and Terrestrial Laser Scanners. These diverse datasets affirm the model's effectiveness in 3D pose estimation, with substantial pose differences and efficient pose optimization in larger circuits.

LiDAR-based SLAM pose estimation via GNSS graph optimization algorithm

LiDAR simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) is widely used in positioning and navigation. By illuminating a series of light spots on the surface of an object, orientation and pose information is obtained. However, improving the accuracy of the pose optimization algorithm without affecting the position information is difficult. Therefore, this study combines the graph optimization algorithm and the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) to optimize the coordinates of the target object in the LiDAR SLAM pose. A GNSS pose estimation algorithm is proposed to show the relationship between positioning algorithms with and without GNSS pose optimization by analyzing the deviation of the distance, level, and height laser point cloud coordinates. The results show that with GNSS pose optimization, the deviations in distance, level, and height are 99% smaller than those without GNSS pose optimization. Furthermore, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed graph optimization algorithm and GNSS optimization of LiDAR SLAM. Finally, this study highlights the directions for the application of wireless communication technology in the field of LiDAR SLAM.

LIDAR-based SLAM system for autonomous vehicles in degraded point cloud scenarios: dynamic obstacle removal

PurposeThis study aims to achieve superior localization and mapping performance in point cloud degradation scenarios through the effective removal of dynamic obstacles. With the continuous development of various technologies for autonomous vehicles, the LIDAR-based Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) system is becoming increasingly important. However, in SLAM systems, effectively addressing the challenges of point cloud degradation scenarios is essential for accurate localization and mapping, with dynamic obstacle removal being a key component.Design/methodology/approachThis paper proposes a method that combines adaptive feature extraction and loop closure detection algorithms to address this challenge. In the SLAM system, the ground point cloud and non-ground point cloud are separated to reduce the impact of noise. And based on the cylindrical projection image of the point cloud, the intensity features are adaptively extracted, the degradation direction is determined by the degradation factor and the intensity features are matched with the map to correct the degraded pose. Moreover, through the difference in raster distribution of the point clouds before and after two frames in the loop process, the dynamic point clouds are identified and removed, and the map is updated.FindingsExperimental results show that the method has good performance. The absolute displacement accuracy of the laser odometer is improved by 27.1%, the relative displacement accuracy is improved by 33.5% and the relative angle accuracy is improved by 23.8% after using the adaptive intensity feature extraction method. The position error is reduced by 30% after removing the dynamic target.Originality/valueCompared with LiDAR odometry and mapping algorithm, the method has greater robustness and accuracy in mapping and localization.

LiDAR-based SLAM for robotic mapping: state of the art and new frontiers

PurposeIn recent decades, the field of robotic mapping has witnessed widespread research and development in light detection and ranging (LiDAR)-based simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) techniques. This paper aims to provide a significant reference for researchers and engineers in robotic mapping.Design/methodology/approachThis paper focused on the research state of LiDAR-based SLAM for robotic mapping as well as a literature survey from the perspective of various LiDAR types and configurations.FindingsThis paper conducted a comprehensive literature review of the LiDAR-based SLAM system based on three distinct LiDAR forms and configurations. The authors concluded that multi-robot collaborative mapping and multi-source fusion SLAM systems based on 3D LiDAR with deep learning will be new trends in the future.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first thorough survey of robotic mapping from the perspective of various LiDAR types and configurations. It can serve as a theoretical and practical guide for the advancement of academic and industrial robot mapping.

Vision-Guided Hierarchical Control and Autonomous Positioning for Aerial Manipulator

Aerial manipulator systems possess active operational capability, and by incorporating various sensors, the systems’ autonomy is further enhanced. In this paper, we address the challenge of accurate positioning between an aerial manipulator and the operational targets during tasks such as grasping and delivery in the absence of motion capture systems indoors. We propose a vision-guided aerial manipulator system comprising a quad-rotor UAV and a single-degree-of-freedom manipulator. First, the overall structure of the aerial manipulator is designed, and a hierarchical control system is established. We employ the fusion of LiDAR-based SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) and IMU (inertial measurement unit) to enhance the positioning accuracy of the aerial manipulator. Real-time target detection and recognition are achieved by combining a depth camera and laser sensor for distance measurements, enabling adjustment of the grasping pose of the aerial manipulator. Finally, we employ a segmented grasping strategy to position and grasp the target object precisely. Experimental results demonstrate that the designed aerial manipulator system maintains a stable orientation within a certain range of ±5° during operation; its position movement is independent of orientation changes. The successful autonomous grasping of lightweight cylindrical objects in real-world scenarios verifies the effectiveness and rationality of the proposed system, ensuring high operational efficiency and robust disturbance resistance.

Automated Method for SLAM Evaluation in GNSS-Denied Areas

The automated inspection and mapping of engineering structures are mainly based on photogrammetry and laser scanning. Mobile robotic platforms like unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), but also handheld platforms, allow efficient automated mapping. Engineering structures like bridges shadow global navigation satellite system (GNSS), which complicates precise localization. Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithms offer a sufficient solution, since they do not require GNSS. However, testing and comparing SLAM algorithms in GNSS-denied areas is difficult due to missing ground truth data. This work presents an approach to measuring the performance of SLAM in indoor and outdoor GNSS-denied areas using a terrestrial scanner Leica RTC360 and a tachymeter to acquire point cloud and trajectory information. The proposed method is independent of time synchronization between robot and tachymeter and also works on sparse SLAM point clouds. For the evaluation of the proposed method, three LiDAR-based SLAM algorithms called KISS-ICP, SC-LIO-SAM, and MA-LIO are tested using a UGV equipped with two light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors and an inertial measurement unit (IMU). KISS-ICP is based solely on a single LiDAR scanner and SC-LIO-SAM also uses an IMU. MA-LIO, which allows multiple (different) LiDAR sensors, is tested on a horizontal and vertical one and an IMU. Time synchronization between the tachymeter and SLAM data during post-processing allows calculating the root mean square (RMS) absolute trajectory error, mean relative trajectory error, and the mean point cloud to reference point cloud distance. It shows that the proposed method is an efficient approach to measure the performance of SLAM in GNSS-denied areas. Additionally, the method shows the superior performance of MA-LIO in four of six test tracks with 5 to 7 cm RMS trajectory error, followed by SC-LIO-SAM and KISS-ICP in last place. SC-LIO-SAM reaches the lowest point cloud to reference point cloud distance in four of six test tracks, with 4 to 12 cm.

EVALUATION OF LIDAR ODOMETRY AND MAPPING BASED ON REFERENCE LASER SCANNING

Abstract. Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) is essential for the robot to operate in an unknown, vast environment. LiDAR-based SLAM can be utilizable in environments where other sensors cannot deliver reliable measurements. Providing accurate map results requires particular attention due to deviations originating from the device. This study is aimed to assess LiDAR-based mapping quality in a vast environment. The measurements are conducted on a mobile platform. Accuracy of the map collected with the LeGO-LOAM method was performed by making a comparison to a map gathered with geodetic scanning using ICP. The results provided 60% of fitted points in a distance lower than 5 cm and 80% in a distance lower than 10 cm. The findings prove the mileage of the map created with this method for other tasks, including autonomous driving and semantic segmentation.

DESIGNING AND EVALUATING A PORTABLE LIDAR-BASED SLAM SYSTEM

Abstract. Mobile Mapping Technology (MMT) has evolved rapidly over the past few decades, especially in using low-cost sensors. This progress is primarily attributed to the appearance of innovative simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithms. This article focuses on evaluating the efficiency of a new LiDAR-based portable SLAM system for mapping in dynamic real-world environments. The work proposed a technical solution based on a Livox Avia LiDAR sensor enhanced by gimbal stabilization. The system, named Portable Livox-based Mapping system (PoLiMap), is compared to other similar solutions by acquiring data from various environments, including urban sceneries, underground tunnels and forested areas, and processing them using a modified FAST-LIO-SLAM algorithm. The research presented in the article contributes to the understanding of the capabilities of PoLiMap systems under various conditions and offers significant insight into its potential applications. Accuracy evaluation results prove that the proposed MMT system can successfully tackle various demanding environments and challenge the results of other more costly state-of-the-art portable mobile laser scanning methods.

Exploiting Radio Fingerprints for Simultaneous Localization and Mapping

Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) is paramount for unmanned systems to achieve self-localization and navigation. It is challenging to perform SLAM in large environments, due to sensor limitations, complexity of the environment, and computational resources. We propose a novel approach for localization and mapping of autonomous vehicles using radio fingerprints, for example wireless fidelity or long term evolution radio features, which are widely available in the existing infrastructure. In particular, we present two solutions to exploit the radio fingerprints for SLAM. In the first solution—namely Radio SLAM, the output is a radio fingerprint map generated using SLAM technique. In the second solution—namely Radio+LiDAR SLAM, we use radio fingerprint to assist conventional LiDAR-based SLAM to improve accuracy and speed, while generating the occupancy map. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our system in three different environments, namely outdoor, indoor building, and semi-indoor environment .

A LiDAR–Inertial SLAM Method Based on Virtual Inertial Navigation System

In scenarios with insufficient structural features, LiDAR-based SLAM may suffer from degeneracy, resulting in impaired robot localization and mapping and potentially leading to subsequent deviant navigation tasks. Therefore, it is crucial to develop advanced algorithms and techniques to mitigate the degeneracy issue and ensure the robustness and accuracy of LiDAR-based SLAM. This paper presents a LiDAR–inertial simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) method based on a virtual inertial navigation system (VINS) to address the issue of degeneracy. We classified different gaits and match each gait to its corresponding torso inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor to construct virtual foot inertial navigation components. By combining an inertial navigation system (INS) with zero-velocity updates (ZUPTs), we formed the VINS to achieve real-time estimation and correction. Finally, the corrected pose estimation was input to the IMU odometry calculation procedure to further refine the localization and mapping results. To evaluate the effectiveness of our proposed VINS method in degenerate environments, we conducted experiments in three typical scenarios. The results demonstrate the high suitability and accuracy of the proposed method in degenerate scenes and show an improvement in the point clouds mapping effect. The algorithm’s versatility is emphasized by its wide applicability on GPU platforms, including quadruped robots and human wearable devices. This broader potential range of applications extends to other related fields such as autonomous driving.

Visualization software for radioactive contamination based on Compton camera: COMRIS.

Identifying and visualizing the radiation source location are important in reducing the radiation exposure of workers at the decommissioning site of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and in improving the radiation protection functions in other sites where radiation sources are handled. In this paper, we developed the COMpton camera for Radiation Imaging System (COMRIS) to identify and visualize the radiation source location in 3D using output data from a Compton camera and a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) device as input data. Here, we presented COMRIS to visualize a 137Cs-radiation source in a dark environment using data acquired by a commercial Compton camera and a LiDAR-based SLAM device mounted on a robot as input data. The radiation source image obtained using the Compton camera was drawn on the 3D work environment model acquired by the SLAM device, and the radiation source location was visible in 3D.

OSM-SLAM: Aiding SLAM with OpenStreetMaps priors.

In the last decades, Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) proved to be a fundamental topic in the field of robotics, due to the many applications, ranging from autonomous driving to 3D reconstruction. Many systems have been proposed in literature exploiting a heterogeneous variety of sensors. State-of-the-art methods build their own map from scratch, using only data coming from the equipment of the robot, and not exploiting possible reconstructions of the environment. Moreover, temporary loss of data proves to be a challenge for SLAM systems, as it demands efficient re-localization to continue the localization process. In this paper, we present a SLAM system that exploits additional information coming from mapping services like OpenStreetMaps, hence the name OSM-SLAM, to face these issues. We extend an existing LiDAR-based Graph SLAM system, ART-SLAM, making it able to integrate the 2D geometry of buildings in the trajectory estimation process, by matching a prior OpenStreetMaps map with a single LiDAR scan. Each estimated pose of the robot is then associated with all buildings surrounding it. This association allows to improve localization accuracy, but also to adjust possible mistakes in the prior map. The pose estimates coming from SLAM are then jointly optimized with the constraints associated with the various OSM buildings, which can assume one of the following types: Buildings are always fixed (Prior SLAM); buildings surrounding a robot are movable in chunks, for every scan (Rigid SLAM); and every single building is free to move independently from the others (Non-rigid SLAM). Lastly, OSM maps can also be used to re-localize the robot when sensor data is lost. We compare the accuracy of the proposed system with existing methods for LiDAR-based SLAM, including the baseline, also providing a visual inspection of the results. The comparison is made by evaluating the estimated trajectory displacement using the KITTI odometry dataset. Moreover, the experimental campaign, along with an ablation study on the re-localization capabilities of the proposed system and its accuracy in loop detection-denied scenarios, allow a discussion about how the quality of prior maps influences the SLAM procedure, which may lead to worse estimates than the baseline.

LiDAR Odometry and Mapping Based on Neighborhood Information Constraints for Rugged Terrain

The simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) method estimates vehicles’ pose and builds maps established on the collection of environmental information primarily through sensors such as LiDAR and cameras. Compared to the camera-based SLAM, the LiDAR-based SLAM is more geared to complicated environments and is not susceptible to weather and illumination, which has increasingly become a hot topic in autonomous driving. However, there has been relatively little research on the LiDAR-based SLAM algorithm in rugged scenes. The following two issues remain unsolved: on the one hand, the small overlap area of two adjacent point clouds results in insufficient valuable features that can be extracted; on the other hand, the conventional feature matching method does not take point cloud pitching into account, which frequently results in matching failure. Hence, a LiDAR SLAM algorithm based on neighborhood information constraints (LoNiC) for rugged terrain is proposed in this study. Firstly, we obtain the feature points with surface information using the distribution of the normal vector angles in the neighborhood and extract features with discrimination through the local surface information of the point cloud, to improve the describing ability of feature points in rugged scenes. Secondly, we provide a multi-scale constraint description based on point cloud curvature, normal vector angle, and Euclidean distance to enhance the algorithm’s discrimination of the differences between feature points and prevent mis-registration. Subsequently, in order to lessen the impact of the initial pose value on the precision of point cloud registration, we introduce the dynamic iteration factor to the registration process and modify the corresponding relationship of the matching point pairs by adjusting the distance and angle thresholds. Finally, the verification based on the KITTI and JLU campus datasets verifies that the proposed algorithm significantly improves the accuracy of mapping. Specifically in rugged scenes, the mean relative translation error is 0.0173%, and the mean relative rotation error is 2.8744°/m, reaching the current level of the state of the art (SOTA) method.

FEVO-LOAM: Feature Extraction and Vertical Optimized Lidar Odometry and Mapping

Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) is a significant research topic in robotics since it is one of the key technologies for robot automation. Although lidar-based SLAM methods have achieved promising performance, traditional lidar SLAM methods still produce large vertical errors. To address this issue, we propose a feature extraction and vertical optimized lidar odometry and mapping approach. Firstly, we optimize the feature extraction. Specifically, we propose a more accurate ground segmentation approach and a new curvature definition, which is used to extract more discriminative features. Additionally, we propose a lidar mapping approach, which adds new vertical residuals and pitch residuals to the objective function. Then a two-step Levenberg-Marquardt method is used to solve the pose transformation. Finally, we evaluate the proposed method in public datasets and real environments. Experiments show that compared with other state-of-the-art methods, our method achieves better accuracy and reduces the vertical error with a similar computational expense.

A fully integrated system for hardware-accelerated TSDF SLAM with LiDAR sensors (HATSDF SLAM)

Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) is one of the fundamental problems in autonomous robotics. Over the years, many approaches to solve this problem for 6D poses and 3D maps based on LiDAR sensors or depth cameras have been proposed. One of the main drawbacks of the solutions found in the literature is the required computational power and corresponding energy consumption. In this paper, we present an approach for LiDAR-based SLAM that maintains a global truncated signed distance function (TSDF) to represent the map. It is implemented on a System-On-Chip (SoC) with an integrated FPGA accelerator. The proposed system is able to track the position of state-of-the-art LiDARs in real time, while maintaining a global TSDF map that can be used to create a polygonal map of the environment. We show that our implementation delivers competitive results compared to state-of-the-art algorithms while drastically reducing the power consumption compared to classical CPU or GPU-based methods.

Autonomous Navigation of Indoor Service Robot with Object Recognition using Deep Learning

Abstract: Indoor Service robots are becoming popular day by day. The task of service robot is to perform some predefined tasks originally done by human in houses, schools, offices etc. This paper proposes an autonomous indoor service robot system integrated with multi-sensors such as Lidar and Kinect for the smooth functioning of indoor service robots. Firstly, a map of the environment is created using Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM), a commonly used technique for creating map and positioning the robot at the same. In this paper different Lidar-based SLAM are compared and the best SLAM is chosen for creating 3D map for this system. For autonomous navigation, path planning plays a key role for fulfilling the task. A* algorithm is incorporated with this system to plan a global path. But global path planning algorithm fails to complete its task if any new or dynamic objects come to its path of navigation. To overcome such situations, a local path planning algorithm called Dynamic Window Approach (DWA) is added to this system. Another inevitable element in autonomous navigation is localization of robots in the map. Adaptive Monte Carlo Localization (AMCL) is the technique applied in the proposed system to localize the robot for the effective navigation of indoor service robot. To enhance the performance of service robot, YOLOv5 model is integrated with this system for real time object detection. The entire system is simulated in an open-source framework called Robot Operating System (ROS).

A Review of Multi-Sensor Fusion SLAM Systems Based on 3D LIDAR

The ability of intelligent unmanned platforms to achieve autonomous navigation and positioning in a large-scale environment has become increasingly demanding, in which LIDAR-based Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) is the mainstream of research schemes. However, the LIDAR-based SLAM system will degenerate and affect the localization and mapping effects in extreme environments with high dynamics or sparse features. In recent years, a large number of LIDAR-based multi-sensor fusion SLAM works have emerged in order to obtain a more stable and robust system. In this work, the development process of LIDAR-based multi-sensor fusion SLAM and the latest research work are highlighted. After summarizing the basic idea of SLAM and the necessity of multi-sensor fusion, this paper introduces the basic principles and recent work of multi-sensor fusion in detail from four aspects based on the types of fused sensors and data coupling methods. Meanwhile, we review some SLAM datasets and compare the performance of five open-source algorithms using the UrbanNav dataset. Finally, the development trend and popular research directions of SLAM based on 3D LIDAR multi-sensor fusion are discussed and summarized.

Real-Time Lidar Odometry and Mapping with Loop Closure.

Real-time performance and global consistency are extremely important in Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) problems. Classic lidar-based SLAM systems often consist of front-end odometry and back-end pose optimization. However, due to expensive computation, it is often difficult to achieve loop-closure detection without compromising the real-time performance of the odometry. We propose a SLAM system where scan-to-submap-based local lidar odometry and global pose optimization based on submap construction as well as loop-closure detection are designed as separated from each other. In our work, extracted edge and surface feature points are inserted into two consecutive feature submaps and added to the pose graph prepared for loop-closure detection and global pose optimization. In addition, a submap is added to the pose graph for global data association when it is marked as in a finished state. In particular, a method to filter out false loops is proposed to accelerate the construction of constraints in the pose graph. The proposed method is evaluated on public datasets and achieves competitive performance with pose estimation frequency over 15 Hz in local lidar odometry and low drift in global consistency.

A SLAM System with Direct Velocity Estimation for Mechanical and Solid-State LiDARs

Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) is essential for intelligent robots operating in unknown environments. However, existing algorithms are typically developed for specific types of solid-state LiDARs, leading to weak feature representation abilities for new sensors. Moreover, LiDAR-based SLAM methods are limited by distortions caused by LiDAR ego motion. To address the above issues, this paper presents a versatile and velocity-aware LiDAR-based odometry and mapping (VLOM) system. A spherical projection-based feature extraction module is utilized to process the raw point cloud generated by various LiDARs, hence avoiding the time-consuming adaptation of various irregular scan patterns. The extracted features are grouped into higher-level clusters to filter out smaller objects and reduce false matching during feature association. Furthermore, bundle adjustment is adopted to jointly estimate the poses and velocities for multiple scans, effectively improving the velocity estimation accuracy and compensating for point cloud distortions. Experiments on publicly available datasets demonstrate the superiority of VLOM over other state-of-the-art LiDAR-based SLAM systems in terms of accuracy and robustness. Additionally, the satisfactory performance of VLOM on RS-LiDAR-M1, a newly released solid-state LiDAR, shows its applicability to a wide range of LiDARs.