Performance Of Simultaneous Localization And Mapping Research Articles

FastSLAM-MO-PSO: A Robust Method for Simultaneous Localization and Mapping in Mobile Robots Navigating Unknown Environments

In the realm of mobile robotics, the capability to navigate and map uncharted territories is paramount, and Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) stands as a cornerstone technology enabling this capability. While traditional SLAM methods like Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) and FastSLAM have made strides, they often struggle with the complexities of non-linear dynamics and non-Gaussian noise, particularly in dynamic settings. Moreover, these methods can be computationally intensive, limiting their applicability in real-world scenarios. This paper introduces an innovative enhancement to the FastSLAM framework by integrating Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MO-PSO), aiming to bolster the robustness and accuracy of SLAM in mobile robots. We outline the theoretical underpinnings of FastSLAM and underscore its significance in robotic autonomy for mapping and exploration. Our approach innovates by crafting a specialized fitness function within the MO-PSO paradigm, which is instrumental in optimizing the particle distribution and addressing the challenges inherent in traditional particle filtering methods. This strategic fusion of MO-PSO with FastSLAM not only circumvents the pitfalls of particle degeneration, but also enhances the overall robustness and precision of the SLAM process across a spectrum of operational environments. Our empirical evaluation involves testing the proposed method on three distinct simulation benchmarks, comparing its performance against four other algorithms. The results indicate that our MO-PSO-enhanced FastSLAM method outperforms the traditional particle filtering approach by significantly reducing particle degeneration and ensuring more reliable and precise SLAM performance in challenging environments. This research demonstrates that the integration of MO-PSO with FastSLAM is a promising direction for improving SLAM in mobile robots, providing a robust solution for accurate mapping and localization even in complex and unknown settings.

ASLAM-FD: a multi-sensor adaptive collaborative fusion SLAM framework based on degradation detection and deep reinforcement learning

Abstract Aiming at the difficulty in ensuring accuracy and performance of existing Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM) technology based on multi-sensor fusion in complex dynamic environments, a multi-sensor adaptive fusion SLAM framework based on degradation detection and deep reinforcement learning (ASLAM-FD) is proposed. This framework can achieve adaptive collaborative precise adjustment of fusion weights (FWs) based on the real-time self-degradation states and relative degradation states quantified by each sensor, and can adapt to different tightly coupled SLAM algorithms based on FWs. In addition, within this framework, the continuous quantification models for the degradation states of internal/external sensors with certain versatility (we refer to them as EX-DM and IN-DM) is proposed. These quantitative models can achieve continuous quantification of degradation states of various mainstream internal/external sensors. Based on the above sensor degradation state quantification models, this paper further proposes a deep reinforcement learning (DRL) network suitable for adaptive collaborative adjustment of FWs. This network focuses more on the temporal nature of sensor observation data and degradation states, making it more suitable for modeling relationships between data with temporal features. In the experimental section, we adapted the proposed ASLAM-FD to different multi-sensor fusion SLAM algorithms on multiple datasets, and compared it with multiple advanced fusion SLAM algorithms. We found that adapting ASLAM-FD can effectively improve the accuracy and performance of fusion SLAM in complex dynamic environments.

Robust visual SLAM algorithm based on target detection and clustering in dynamic scenarios.

We propose a visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithm that integrates target detection and clustering techniques in dynamic scenarios to address the vulnerability of traditional SLAM algorithms to moving targets. The proposed algorithm integrates the target detection module into the front end of the SLAM and identifies dynamic objects within the visual range by improving the YOLOv5. Feature points associated with the dynamic objects are disregarded, and only those that correspond to static targets are utilized for frame-to-frame matching. This approach effectively addresses the camera pose estimation in dynamic environments, enhances system positioning accuracy, and optimizes the visual SLAM performance. Experiments on the TUM public dataset and comparison with the traditional ORB-SLAM3 algorithm and DS-SLAM algorithm validate that the proposed visual SLAM algorithm demonstrates an average improvement of 85.70 and 30.92% in positioning accuracy in highly dynamic scenarios. In comparison to the DynaSLAM system using MASK-RCNN, our system exhibits superior real-time performance while maintaining a comparable ATE index. These results highlight that our pro-posed SLAM algorithm effectively reduces pose estimation errors, enhances positioning accuracy, and showcases enhanced robustness compared to conventional visual SLAM algorithms.

Evaluating SLAM Performance with Synthesized Datasets from Unreal-Based Emulators

The rapid advancement in visual-inertial simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) has opened numerous applications in computer vision. However, the scarcity of high quality, publicly accessible datasets hampers the evaluation of SLAM performance in varied and tailored environments. In this study, I employed the AirSim simulator and the Unreal Engine 4 to generate a trajectory resembling that of the TUM VI Room 1 ground truth dataset within the ArchViz indoor environment representing a well-lit, furnished room. I further modified the environment and trajectory through various expansions, addition of features, and data smoothing to ensure a more stable sequence of input frames into the SLAM architecture. I then examined the efficiency of visual ORB-SLAM3 by inputting images of resolution 256×144 and 512×288 at 30 frames per second (FPS), while also adjusting the feature threshold - the maximum number of feature points that ORB-SLAM3 tracks per frame. This investigation of the camera parameters within AirSim and ORB-SLAM3 has led to the essential finding that the resolution of the input images must coincide with the dimensions of the film. The subsequent runs under these variables reveal that higher resolution images lead to considerably better tracking, with an optimal feature threshold ranging between 3000~12000 feature points per frame. Moreover, ORB- SLAM3 demonstrated significantly enhanced robustness within dynamic environments containing moving objects when using higher resolution inputs, with a decreased error of close to 0cm compared to 23.19cm for lower resolutions (averaged over three runs). Finally, I conducted qualitative testing using real-life indoor environments recorded with an iPhone Xr camera, which produces results that highlight the challenges faced by ORB-SLAM3 due to factors such as glare and motion blur.

A Review of Dynamic Object Filtering in SLAM Based on 3D LiDAR.

SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) based on 3D LiDAR (Laser Detection and Ranging) is an expanding field of research with numerous applications in the areas of autonomous driving, mobile robotics, and UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). However, in most real-world scenarios, dynamic objects can negatively impact the accuracy and robustness of SLAM. In recent years, the challenge of achieving optimal SLAM performance in dynamic environments has led to the emergence of various research efforts, but there has been relatively little relevant review. This work delves into the development process and current state of SLAM based on 3D LiDAR in dynamic environments. After analyzing the necessity and importance of filtering dynamic objects in SLAM, this paper is developed from two dimensions. At the solution-oriented level, mainstream methods of filtering dynamic targets in 3D point cloud are introduced in detail, such as the ray-tracing-based approach, the visibility-based approach, the segmentation-based approach, and others. Then, at the problem-oriented level, this paper classifies dynamic objects and summarizes the corresponding processing strategies for different categories in the SLAM framework, such as online real-time filtering, post-processing after the mapping, and Long-term SLAM. Finally, the development trends and research directions of dynamic object filtering in SLAM based on 3D LiDAR are discussed and predicted.

DLOAM: Real-time and Robust LiDAR SLAM System Based on CNN in Dynamic Urban Environments

Dynamic object detection, state estimation, and map-building are crucial for autonomous robot systems and intelligent transportation applications in urban scenarios. Most current LiDAR Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) systems operate on the assumption that the observed environment is static. However, the overall accuracy and robustness of a SLAM system can be compromised by dynamic objects in the environment. Aiming at the problem of inaccurate odometry estimation and wrong mapping caused by the existing LiDAR SLAM method which cannot detect the dynamic objects, we study the SLAM problem of robots and unmanned vehicles equipped with LiDAR traveling in the dynamic urban scenes. We propose a fast LiDAR-only model-free dynamic objects detection method, which uses the spatial and temporal information of point cloud through a convolutional neural network (CNN), and the detection accuracy is improved by 35 use spatial information. We further integrate it into a state-of-the-art LiDAR SLAM framework to improve the SLAM performance. Firstly, the range image constructed by LiDAR point cloud is used for ground extraction and non-ground point clustering. Then, the motion of objects in the scene is estimated by the difference between adjacent frames, and the segmented objects are further divided into dynamic objects and static objects by their motion features. After that, the stable feature points are extracted from the static objects. Finally, the pose transformation of adjacent frames is solved by matching feature point pairs. We evaluated the accuracy and robustness of our system on datasets with different challenging dynamic environments, and the results show our system has significant improvements in accuracy and robustness of odometry and mapping, while still maintain real-time performance, which is sufficient for autonomous robot systems and intelligent transportation applications in urban scenarios.

MCFilter: feature filter based on motion-correlation for LiDAR SLAM

PurposeThis study aims to introduce a novel noise filter module designed for LiDAR simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) systems. The primary objective is to enhance pose estimation accuracy and improve the overall system performance in outdoor environments.Design/methodology/approachDistinct from traditional approaches, MCFilter emphasizes enhancing point cloud data quality at the pixel level. This framework hinges on two primary elements. First, the D-Tracker, a tracking algorithm, is grounded on multiresolution three-dimensional (3D) descriptors and adeptly maintains a balance between precision and efficiency. Second, the R-Filter introduces a pixel-level attribute named motion-correlation, which effectively identifies and removes dynamic points. Furthermore, designed as a modular component, MCFilter ensures seamless integration into existing LiDAR SLAM systems.FindingsBased on rigorous testing with public data sets and real-world conditions, the MCFilter reported an increase in average accuracy of 12.39% and reduced processing time by 24.18%. These outcomes emphasize the method’s effectiveness in refining the performance of current LiDAR SLAM systems.Originality/valueIn this study, the authors present a novel 3D descriptor tracker designed for consistent feature point matching across successive frames. The authors also propose an innovative attribute to detect and eliminate noise points. Experimental results demonstrate that integrating this method into existing LiDAR SLAM systems yields state-of-the-art performance.

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.

Accurate Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) against Around View Monitor (AVM) Distortion Error Using Weighted Generalized Iterative Closest Point (GICP).

Accurately estimating the pose of a vehicle is important for autonomous parking. The study of around view monitor (AVM)-based visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) has gained attention due to its affordability, commercial availability, and suitability for parking scenarios characterized by rapid rotations and back-and-forth movements of the vehicle. In real-world environments, however, the performance of AVM-based visual SLAM is degraded by AVM distortion errors resulting from an inaccurate camera calibration. Therefore, this paper presents an AVM-based visual SLAM for autonomous parking which is robust against AVM distortion errors. A deep learning network is employed to assign weights to parking line features based on the extent of the AVM distortion error. To obtain training data while minimizing human effort, three-dimensional (3D) Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data and official parking lot guidelines are utilized. The output of the trained network model is incorporated into weighted Generalized Iterative Closest Point (GICP) for vehicle localization under distortion error conditions. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method reduces localization errors by an average of 39% compared with previous AVM-based visual SLAM approaches.

Reconfigurable Holographic Surface Aided Collaborative Wireless SLAM Using Federated Learning for Autonomous Driving

Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) utilizing millimeter-wave (mmWave) radars is widely recognized as an essential component for autonomous driving applications. In this paper, we present a Reconfigurable Holographic Surface (RHS)-aided SLAM system, incorporating federated learning. The hardware cost of autonomous driving systems can be significantly reduced by replacing the expensive phased array antennas, traditionally used in mmWave radars, with the low-cost RHS metasurface antenna. Furthermore, multiple vehicles can collaborate through the federated learning framework, obtaining additional sensed data to enhance SLAM performance. However, the distinctive radiation structure of the RHS and the information exchange within the federated learning framework introduce complexities to the overall SLAM system design. To address these challenges, we propose a multi-vehicle SLAM protocol that regulates RHS-based radar sensing and data processing across multiple vehicles. Additionally, we design algorithms for RHS radiation optimization and federated learning-based localization and mapping. Simulation results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approach when compared to existing phased array-based and non-cooperative schemes.

A semantic segmentation-based underwater acoustic image transmission framework for cooperative SLAM

With the development of underwater sonar detection technology, simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) approach has attracted much attention in underwater navigation field in recent years. But the weak detection ability of a single vehicle limits the SLAM performance in wide areas. Thereby, cooperative SLAM using multiple vehicles has become an important research direction. The key factor of cooperative SLAM is timely and efficient sonar image transmission among underwater vehicles. However, the limited bandwidth of underwater acoustic channels contradicts a large amount of sonar image data. It is essential to compress the images before transmission. Recently, deep neural networks have great value in image compression by virtue of the powerful learning ability of neural networks, but the existing sonar image compression methods based on neural network usually focus on the pixel-level information without the semantic-level information. In this paper, we propose a novel underwater acoustic transmission scheme called UAT-SSIC that includes semantic segmentation-based sonar image compression (SSIC) framework and the joint source-channel codec, to improve the accuracy of the semantic information of the reconstructed sonar image at the receiver. The SSIC framework consists of Auto-Encoder structure-based sonar image compression network, which is measured by a semantic segmentation network's residual. Considering that sonar images have the characteristics of blurred target edges, the semantic segmentation network used a special dilated convolution neural network (DiCNN) to enhance segmentation accuracy by expanding the range of receptive fields. The joint source-channel codec with unequal error protection is proposed that adjusts the power level of the transmitted data, which deal with sonar image transmission error caused by the serious underwater acoustic channel. Experiment results demonstrate that our method preserves more semantic information, with advantages over existing methods at the same compression ratio. It also improves the error tolerance and packet loss resistance of transmission.

Rao-Blackwellized Particle Filter Algorithm Integrated with Neural Network Sensor Model Using Laser Distance Sensor

Commonly, simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithm is developed using high-end sensors. Alternatively, some researchers use low-end sensors due to the lower cost of the robot. However, the low-end sensor produces noisy sensor measurements that can affect the SLAM algorithm, which is prone to error. Therefore, in this paper, a SLAM algorithm, which is a Rao-Blackwellized particle filter (RBPF) integrated with artificial neural networks (ANN) sensor model, is introduced to improve the measurement accuracy of a low-end laser distance sensor (LDS) and subsequently improve the performance of SLAM. The RBPF integrated with the ANN sensor model is experimented with by using the Turtlebot3 mobile robot in simulation and real-world experiments. The experiment is validated by comparing the occupancy grid maps estimated by RBPF integrated with the ANN sensor model and RBPF without ANN. Both the results in simulation and real-world experiments show that the SLAM performance of RBPF integrated with the ANN sensor model is better than the RBPF without ANN. In the real-world experiment results, the performance of the occupied cells integrated with the ANN sensor model is increased by 107.59%. In conclusion, the SLAM algorithm integrated with the ANN sensor model is able to improve the accuracy of the map estimate for mobile robots using low-end LDS sensors.

Radio SLAM: A Review on Radio-Based Simultaneous Localization and Mapping

Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithm has enabled the automation of mobile robots in unknown environments. It enables the robot to navigate through an unknown trajectory by employing sensors that provide measurements to infer the surrounding environment and use this information to localize the robot. Sensor technology plays a key role in defining the quality of measurements as it affects the overall performance of SLAM. While visual sensors, like cameras, can capture rich features of the environment, they, however, fail to work in low-light conditions. On the other hand, radio frequency sensors are invariant to light conditions, however, high-frequency signals such as millimeter wave (mm-wave) are prone to severe channel attenuation, therefore, they are suitable for short-range indoor applications. Despite the high localization accuracy that the mm-wave frequency band has to offer, its shortcomings have limited the amount of research work carried out to enhance the performance of SLAM. Therefore, this paper aims to provide an overview of the recent developments in radio SLAM, with a specific focus on mm-wave enabled localization and SLAM methods. However, some notable research work based on other radio frequency sensors has also been discussed. In addition, we highlight the role of deep learning-based methods for localization and identify some of the key challenges in data-driven implementation.

The Effect of Artificial Neural Network Towards the Number of Particles of Rao-Blackwellized Particle Filter using Laser Distance Sensor

Rao-Blackwellized particle filter (RBPF) algorithm aims to solve the Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) problem. The performance of RBPF is based on the number of particles. The higher the number of particles, the better the performance of RBPF. However, higher number of particles required high memory and computational cost. Nevertheless, the number of particles can be reduced by using high-end sensor. By using high-end sensor, high performance of RBPF can be achieved and reduced the number of particles. But the development of the robot came at a high cost. A robot can be equipped with low-cost sensor in order to reduce the overall cost of the robot. However, low-cost sensor presented challenges of creating good map accuracy due to the low accuracy of the sensor measurement. For that reason, RBPF is integrated with artificial neural network (ANN) to interpret noisy sensor measurements and achieved better accuracy in SLAM. In this paper, RBPF integrated with ANN is experimented by using Turtlebot3 in real-world experiment. The experiment is evaluated by comparing the resulting maps estimated by RBPF with ANN and RBPF without ANN. The results show that RBPF with ANN has increased the performance of SLAM by 25.17% and achieved 10 out of 10 trials of closed loop map by using only 30 particles compared to RBPF without ANN that needs 400 particles to achieve closed loop map. In conclusion, it shows that, SLAM performance can be improved by integrating RBPF algorithm with ANN and reduces the number of particles.

PLJ-SLAM: Monocular Visual SLAM With Points, Lines, and Junctions of Coplanar Lines

Existing monocular visual simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) mainly focuses on point and line features, and the constraints among line features are not fully explored. In this paper, a multi-feature monocular SLAM with ORB points, lines, and junctions of coplanar lines is proposed for indoor environments. To create 3D junctions of coplanar lines, an adaptive coordinate confidence is designed to describe the coordinate stability of 2D junctions on the image plane. Based on the matched 2D junctions between the current keyframe and other two associated keyframes, a multi-view coplanarity verification is performed for 3D junction creation. Moreover, reprojection verification is conducted to update the observation of 3D junction, which is used to dynamically update the confidence of coplanarity for confidence-based local bundle adjustment. The camera pose is optimized through multiple constraints of ORB points, lines, and junctions of the coplanar lines. As a result, the performance of monocular SLAM is improved. The experiment verification shows the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Enabling Plug-and-Play and Crowdsourcing SLAM in Wireless Communication Systems

Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) during communication is emerging. This technology promises to provide information on propagation environments and transceivers’ location, thus creating several new services and applications for the Internet of Things and environment-aware communication. Using crowdsourcing data collected by multiple agents appears to be much potential for enhancing SLAM performance. However, the measurement uncertainties in practice and biased estimations from multiple agents may result in serious errors. This study develops a robust SLAM method with measurement plug-and-play and crowdsourcing mechanisms to address the above problems. First, we divide measurements into different categories according to their unknown biases and realize a measurement plug-and-play mechanism by extending the classic belief propagation (BP)-based SLAM method. The proposed mechanism can obtain the time-varying agent location, radio features, and corresponding measurement biases (such as clock bias, orientation bias, and received signal strength model parameters), with high accuracy and robustness in challenging scenarios without any prior information on anchors and agents. Next, we establish a probabilistic crowdsourcing-based SLAM mechanism, in which multiple agents cooperate to construct and refine the radio map in a decentralized manner. Our study presents the first BP-based crowdsourcing that resolves the “double count” and “data reliability” problems through the flexible application of probabilistic data association methods. Numerical results reveal that the crowdsourcing mechanism can further improve the accuracy of the mapping result, which, in turn, ensures the decimeter-level localization accuracy of each agent in a challenging propagation environment.

A LiDAR SLAM With PCA-Based Feature Extraction and Two-Stage Matching

Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) has been studied for decades in the field of robotics, in which light detection and ranging (LiDAR) is widely used in various application areas benefiting from its accessibility of direct, accurate, and reliable 3-D measurements. However, the performance of LiDAR SLAM may be degraded when running in degenerate scenario, which makes it still a challenging problem to realize real-time, robust, and accurate state estimation in complex environments. In this article, we propose a keyframe-based 3-D LiDAR SLAM using an accurate principal component analysis (PCA)-based feature extraction method and an efficient two-stage matching strategy, toward a more robust, accurate, and globally consistent estimation performance. The effectiveness and performance are demonstrated and evaluated by comparing our method with the state-of-the-art open-source methods, LOAM and LeGo-LOAM, on KITTI datasets and custom datasets collected by our sensor system. The experimental results show obvious improvement of odometry accuracy and mapping consistency without loss of real-time performance.

Examining of the Effect of Geometric Objects on SLAM Performance Using ROS and Gazebo

Development effort on Autonomous mobile robots that can operate in unknown environments are ongoing in order to extend the application area of the robots. In order to navigate, an autonomous mobile robot needs a map of the environment and location information relative to the map. Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) is a prediction process in which the autonomous mobile robot can use this map to determine its position while building a consistent map. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of geometric objects on SLAM performance. In this direction, three different experimental areas including equilateral triangular prisms, square prisms and cylinders are designed in a Gazebo. The fourth experiment area includes all three geometric objects used in the study. SLAM algorithm was tested by using the TurtleBot3 Waffle Pi robot. When the mapping times of the four experimental areas were compared, it was seen that the fastest scenario is achieved within triangular-only objects and the slowest within mixed prism. In terms of measures, the map including the triangular prisms is the closest to the actual measures of the simulated area. The obtained results show that the shapes of the geometric objects directly affect the performance of SLAM.

A LiDAR/Visual SLAM Backend with Loop Closure Detection and Graph Optimization

LiDAR (light detection and ranging), as an active sensor, is investigated in the simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) system. Typically, a LiDAR SLAM system consists of front-end odometry and back-end optimization modules. Loop closure detection and pose graph optimization are the key factors determining the performance of the LiDAR SLAM system. However, the LiDAR works at a single wavelength (905 nm), and few textures or visual features are extracted, which restricts the performance of point clouds matching based loop closure detection and graph optimization. With the aim of improving LiDAR SLAM performance, in this paper, we proposed a LiDAR and visual SLAM backend, which utilizes LiDAR geometry features and visual features to accomplish loop closure detection. Firstly, the bag of word (BoW) model, describing the visual similarities, was constructed to assist in the loop closure detection and, secondly, point clouds re-matching was conducted to verify the loop closure detection and accomplish graph optimization. Experiments with different datasets were carried out for assessing the proposed method, and the results demonstrated that the inclusion of the visual features effectively helped with the loop closure detection and improved LiDAR SLAM performance. In addition, the source code, which is open source, is available for download once you contact the corresponding author.

Enhancing RGB-D SLAM Performances Considering Sensor Specifications for Indoor Localization

Several works have focused on Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM), which is a topic that has been studied for more than a decade to meet the needs of robots to navigate in an unknown environment. SLAM is an essential perception functionality in several applications, especially in robotics and autonomous vehicles. RGB-D cameras are among the sensors commonly used with recent SLAM algorithms. They provide an RGB image and the associated depth map, making it possible to solve scale drift with less complexity and create a dense 3D environment representation. Many RGB-D SLAM algorithms have been studied and evaluated on publicly available datasets without considering sensor specifications or image acquisition modes that could improve or decrease localization accuracy. In this work, we deal with indoor localization, taking into account the sensor specifications. In this context, our contribution is a deep experimental study to highlight the impact of the sensor acquisition modes on the localization accuracy, and a parametric optimization protocol for a precise localization in a given environment. Furthermore, we apply the proposed protocol to optimize a depth-related parameter of the SLAM algorithm. The study is based on a publicly available dataset in an indoor environment with a depth sensor. The reconstruction results’ analysis is founded on the study of different metrics involving translational and rotational errors. These metrics errors are compared with those obtained with a state-of-the-art stereo vision-based SLAM algorithm.