Globally consistent mapping of large-scale passageway environments

Navigation and mapping are important subtasks in mobile robotics, particularly in large-scale passageway environments (e.g., in underground mines) where satellite GPS is not available. What makes robotic mapping in such environments especially challenging is the problem of identifying when the robot has returned to an already traversed area. This paper reports on the concept development and implementation of algorithms intended to achieve global consistency in generated maps, which might subsequently be used for navigation purposes. Presented are preliminary results from trials conducted in the Carleton University underground tunnel network using a SICK laser rangefinder and Pioneer P3-DX robot.