GSR: geometrical scan registration algorithm for robust and fast robot pose estimation

Abstract

Purpose In this paper, an attempt has been made to develop an algorithm equipped with geometric pattern registration techniques to perform exact, robust and fast robot localization purely based on laser range data. Design/methodology/approach The expected pose of the robot on a pre-calculated map is in the form of simulated sensor readings. To obtain the exact pose of the robot, segmentation of both real laser range and simulated laser range readings is performed. Critical points on two scan sets are extracted from the segmented range data and thereby the pose difference is computed by matching similar parts of the scans and calculating the relative translation. Findings In contrast to other self-localization algorithms based on particle filters and scan matching, the proposed method, in common positioning scenarios, provides a linear cost with respect to the number of sensor particles, making it applicable to real-time resource-limited embedded robots. The proposed method is able to obtain a sensibly accurate estimate of the relative pose of the robot even in non-occluded but partially visible segments conditions. Originality/value A comparison of state-of-the-art localization techniques has shown that geometrical scan registration algorithm is superior to the other localization methods based on scan matching in accuracy, processing speed and robustness to large positioning errors. Effectiveness of the proposed method has been demonstrated by conducting a series of real-world experiments.