We propose an on-line algorithm for simultaneous localization and mapping of dynamic environments. Our algorithm is capable of differentiating static and dynamic parts of the environment and representing them appropriately on the map. Our approach is based on maintaining two occupancy grids. One grid models the static parts of the environment, and the other models the dynamic parts of the envir...

The topic of mobile robot self-localisation is often divided into the sub-problems of global localisation and position tracking. Both are now well understood individually, but few mobile robots can deal simultaneously with the two problems in large, complex environments. In this paper, we present a unified approach to global localisation and position tracking which is based on a topological map...

In this paper we introduce coverage maps as a new way of representing the environment of a mobile robot. Coverage maps store for each cell of a given grid a posterior about the amount the corresponding cell is covered by an obstacle. Using this representation a mobile robot can more accurately reason about its uncertainty in the map of the environment than with standard occupancy grids. We pres...

The problem of building maps of the environment is one of the fundamental problems in mobile robotics. So far, the majority of research has focused on the problem of how to learn two-dimensional maps such as occupancy grids. Robots, however, operate in a three-dimensional world. Accordingly, robots that use tree-dimensional maps can be expected to be more reliable and robust than those relying ...

In this paper we present a new technique for improving the azimuth resolution of ultrasonic range sensors frequently used with mobile robots. This improvement is achieved without a significant increase in the latency, or processing delay, of the system. Our approach decreases the azimuth uncertainty of a sensor reading by eliminating portions of the reading that are contradicted by subsequent r...

Recent successful SLAM methods employ hybrid map representations combining the strengths of topological maps and occupancy grids. Such representations often facilitate multi-agent mapping. In this paper, a successful SLAM method is presented, which is inspired by the manifold data structure by Howard et al. This method maintains a graph with sensor observations stored in vertices and pose diffe...

For reliability-based topology optimization (RBTO) of double layer grids, a two-stage optimization method is presented by applying “Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization” and “Ant Colony Optimization” (SIMP-ACO method). To achieve this aim, first, the structural stiffness is maximized using SIMP. Then, the characteristics of the obtained topology are used to enhance ACO through six modific...

A new method for on-line pose estimation in mobile robotics applications is presented in this paper. Using the information provided by the wheel encoders usually is accompanied with additive systematic and nonsystematic errors. Much effort has been done to overcome this problem. In the proposed approach, it is assumed that the robot is making an occupancy grids map of the environment during exp...

Smart grids allow automated meter readings and facilitate two-way communications between the smart meters and utility control centers. As the smart grid becomes more intelligent, it becomes increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks. Smart grid security mainly focuses on mutual authentication and key management techniques. An impeding factor in grid security is the memory and processing constraint...

In this paper we describe Magellan, an integrated architecture for mobile robotics. The system represents its spatial knowledge in terms of a topological network that connects a set of distinct places, each represented by evidence grids that contain probabilistic descriptions of occupancy. Magellan includes a module for place recognition that determines its initial location and when it has reac...