LESS-mapping: Online environment segmentation based on spectral mapping
Given the features obtained from a sequence of consecutively acquired sensor readings, this paper proposes an on-line algorithm for unsupervisedly detecting a transition on this sequence, i.e. the frame that divides the sequence into two tightly related parts that are dissimilar between them. Contrary to recently proposed approaches that address this partitioning problem dealing with a sequence of robots poses, our proposal considers each individual feature as a node of an incrementally built graph whose edges link two nodes if their associated features were simultaneously observed. These graph edges carry non-negative weights according to the locality of the features. Given a feature, its locality defines the set of features that has been observed simultaneously with it at least once. At each execution of the algorithm, the feature-based graph is split into two subgraphs using a normalized spectral clustering algorithm. The obtained partitions correspond to those parts in the environment that share the minimum amount of information. If this graph partition is validated, the algorithm determines that there is a significant change on the perceived scenario, assuming that a transition area has been traversed. In a map partitioning framework, we have tested the proposed approach in real environments where features are obtained using 2D laser sensors or vision (stereo and monocular cameras). The statistical evaluation of the experimental results demonstrates the performance of the proposal.
environment segmentation spectral clustering map partitioning