An apparatus comprising: a robot; and a controller of the robot configured to: perform simultaneous localization and mapping for learning the spatial distribution of one or more continuous signals in an environment in which the robot is navigating, compute a pose of the robot through the simultaneous localization and mapping as the robot moves along a surface to generate one or more maps, wherein the pose comprises a position and orientation of the robot, wherein each of the one or more maps includes a vector field being defined by signal vectors over space of measurement values of the one or more continuous signals expected for various positions along the surface; navigate the robot such that the robot treats the surface in a methodical manner; characterized in that the controller of the robot configured to: determine that operation of the robot has been paused, and after resumption of operation of the robot: re-localize the robot within a map of the one or more maps without erasing the one or more maps; and resume treatment of the surface in the methodical manner, wherein the robot is configured to reposition itself in a previously mapped area when operation is resumed by searching the vector field for positions that provide a signal vector fitting sensor measurements of the robot, wherein the controller is further configured to return the robot to a previous pose prior to resumption of treatment, wherein the previous pose is from a time prior to the pausing event, wherein the previous pose comprises a prior position and a prior orientation. a robot; and a controller of the robot configured to: perform simultaneous localization and mapping for learning the spatial distribution of one or more continuous signals in an environment in which the robot is navigating, compute a pose of the robot through the simultaneous localization and mapping as the robot moves along a surface to generate one or more maps, wherein the pose comprises a position and orientation of the robot, wherein each of the one or more maps includes a vector field being defined by signal vectors over space of measurement values of the one or more continuous signals expected for various positions along the surface; navigate the robot such that the robot treats the surface in a methodical manner; characterized in that the controller of the robot configured to: determine that operation of the robot has been paused, and after resumption of operation of the robot: re-localize the robot within a map of the one or more maps without erasing the one or more maps; and resume treatment of the surface in the methodical manner, wherein the robot is configured to reposition itself in a previously mapped area when operation is resumed by searching the vector field for positions that provide a signal vector fitting sensor measurements of the robot, wherein the controller is further configured to return the robot to a previous pose prior to resumption of treatment, wherein the previous pose is from a time prior to the pausing event, wherein the previous pose comprises a prior position and a prior orientation. perform simultaneous localization and mapping for learning the spatial distribution of one or more continuous signals in an environment in which the robot is navigating, compute a pose of the robot through the simultaneous localization and mapping as the robot moves along a surface to generate one or more maps, wherein the pose comprises a position and orientation of the robot, wherein each of the one or more maps includes a vector field being defined by signal vectors over space of measurement values of the one or more continuous signals expected for various positions along the surface; navigate the robot such that the robot treats the surface in a methodical manner; characterized in that the controller of the robot configured to: determine that operation of the robot has been paused, and after resumption of operation of the robot: re-localize the robot within a map of the one or more maps without erasing the one or more maps; and resume treatment of the surface in the methodical manner, wherein the robot is configured to reposition itself in a previously mapped area when operation is resumed by searching the vector field for positions that provide a signal vector fitting sensor measurements of the robot, wherein the controller is further configured to return the robot to a previous pose prior to resumption of treatment, wherein the previous pose is from a time prior to the pausing event, wherein the previous pose comprises a prior position and a prior orientation. re-localize the robot within a map of the one or more maps without erasing the one or more maps; and resume treatment of the surface in the methodical manner, wherein the robot is configured to reposition itself in a previously mapped area when operation is resumed by searching the vector field for positions that provide a signal vector fitting sensor measurements of the robot, wherein the controller is further configured to return the robot to a previous pose prior to resumption of treatment, wherein the previous pose is from a time prior to the pausing event, wherein the previous pose comprises a prior position and a prior orientation.