Absfmcl-This paper introduces a new method for representing two-dimensional maps, and shows how this representation may be applied to concurrent localiratio~ and mapping problem involving multiple robots. We introduce the nution of a manifold map; thir repmentation takes maps of the plane and onto a two.dimensional surface embedded in a higher-dimensional space. Compared with standard planar maps, the key advantage of the manifold representation is sell-consistency: manifold maps world may be represented more than once in the manifold if the robot traverses a loop in one diection, for example, the manifold will develop a spiral s m c m e , with the same locations being repeated over-and-over again. In spite of this ambiguity, however, the robot can always retro-traverse hy travehg hack along the spiral smcture. manv-to-ooe relationshi0 between ooints on the manido not sntTer from the 'cross over' problem that Planar maps commonly exhibit in environments containing loops. This selfconsbtency facilitates a of aUtOnOmOus eapahilities. inclndioe mbnst retm-traverse. lazv loon closure. active fold and points in the world gkes rise to H second interesting capability: lazy loop closure. Loop closure is the most difficult Part Of the SitIInltaneOUS IocdiZatiOn and mapping process: . . loop closure using robot rendezvous, and, ultimately, autunomous in order to close a loop, one must decide that two points in exploration. By way of validation, this paper also includes experimental mults obtained using team of two to four robots in environments ranging in size from 400 mz to WO m2.
Howard et al. developed a multi-robot SLAM algorithm based on manifold representation REF , which has the key advantage of self-consistency meaning it doesn't suffer from "cross-over" exhibited in planar maps during loop closure.
Multi-robot mapping using manifold representations
IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, 2004. Proceedings. ICRA '04. 2004
IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, 2004. Proceedings. ICRA '04. 2004
Mathematics Computer Science