Merging partial maps without using odometry

Abstract

Most map building methods employed by mobile robots are based on the assumption that an estimate of the position of the robots can be obtained from odometry readings. In this paper we propose methods to build a global geometrical map by integrating partial maps without using any odometry information. This approach increases the flexibility in data collection. Robots do not need to see each other during mapping, and data can be collected by a single robot or multiple robots in one or multiple sessions. Experimental results show the effectiveness of our approach in different types of indoor environments. © 2005 Springer.