Autonomous SLAM technique with stereo vision

This paper proposes some algorithms integrating grid and topology map and its performance is faster and more stable. The proposed scheme uses an occupancy grid map in representing the environment and then formulate topological information in path finding by A* algorithm. The localization process and the dynamic obstacle avoidance can be accomplished by topological information on grid based map. On simulator mapping process is shown and the shortest path is decided on grid based map. Then topological information such as direction, distance is calculated on simulator program then transmitted to robot hardware devices. Only one stereo camera and electronic compass are implemented on our mobile robot and two DC geared motor wheels are individually controlled by PD control method. Stereo matching was accomplished by image processing from two parallel positioned cameras and new algorithms such as fast object labeling, measuring depth by image overlapping and local information of optical flow. Simulations and experimental results show the performance and efficiency of the proposed scheme.