Continuous-Time SLAM—Improving Google’s Cartographer 3D Mapping

Abstract

This paper shows how to use the result of Google's SLAM solution, called Cartographer, to bootstrap our continuous-time SLAM algorithm. The presented approach optimizes the consistency of the global point cloud, and thus improves on Google's results. We use the algorithms and data from Google as input for our continuous-time SLAM software. We also successfully applied our software to a similar backpack system which delivers consistent 3D point clouds even in absence of an IMU.