Autonomous Exploration using

Hector SLAM

BITS Pilani ANUJ BANSAL

Pilani Campus
2013A7PS100P
 SLAM Simultaneous Localization and Mapping

Problem of building a map

At the same time localizing within that map

Landmark extraction, data association, state

estimation, state update and landmark update

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 In order to build a map, we must
know our position

To determine our position, we need a

map

Solution: Alternate between the two

steps
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 Assumimg that the
robot uncertainty at its
initial location is zero

The robot observes a

feature with some
uncertainty related to
sensor error

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 In order to reduce its uncertainty, the robot must observe features
whose location is relatively well known
The observation is called loop closure detection

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 Lizi robot
Equipped with Hokuyo-URG-04lx-UG01 laser scanner
200 area scanning range with 4m depth
IMU, Compass, GPS, RGB-D Camera and Ultrasonic
range sensors

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 Heterogeneous Cooperating Team of Robots
Developed by S. Kohlbrecher, J. Meyer, O. von Stryk
and U. Klingauf.
Combines scan matching approach using a LIDAR
with a 3D estimation system based on inertial
sensing.

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 2D SLAM: Gmapping (Laser based SLAM)
Works only for planar environments
Relies heavily on odometry
3D SLAM: SLAM6D
Involves 3D reconstruction therefore not
applicable for online use
Visual SLAM: RGB-D (uses RGB-D cameras)
Computationally expensive
Not having enough depth information

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Map generated by RGB-D SLAM

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 Challenge:
Given a partial knowledge of the world (incomplete map)
where should the robot move next to increase this
knowledge and improve the map
The exploration strategy is based on the frontier
exploration technique developed by Yamauchi in "A
Frontier-Based Approach for Autonomous Exploration
Consists of two parts:
Planner
Controller
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 Generates goals as well as associated paths
Two challenges:
How do we select a target?
What path do we choose?
Inputs:
Current robot state
Current map
Outputs:
Goal states
Trajectory to goal states

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 Our exploration strategy: In order to get new information, go
to a frontier
A frontier is a cell in the occupancy grid that is marked as free
but has a neighboring cell that is marked as unknown.

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//Procedure doExploration();

global map;
global current_pose;

While(!map_covered && !no_frontier_enough_size){

goals = findFrontiers();
exploration_grid = buildDistanceTransform(current_pose, goals);
plan = getTrajectory(current_pose, goals, exploration_grid);
updateGoal(goal);
publishPlan(plan);
}

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//Procedure findFrontiers();

Vector allFrontiers;
For(all cells in occupancy grid){
if(isFrontier(cell)){
allFrontiers.push_back(cell);
}
}

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//Procedure isFrontier(point);

If( occupancy_grid[point] == FREE){

for(neighbor in neighbors){
If( occupancy_grid[neighbor] == NO_INFORMATION){
no_info++;
if(no_info > 2) return true;
}
}
}
return false;

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//Procedure buildDistanceTransform(current_pose, goals);

For(all point in goals){

transform_grid[point] = 0; //initial cost for all goals
queue.push(point);
}
While(!queue.empty){
cur_point = queue.front();
min_cost = transform_grid[cur_point];
getStraightPoints(cur_point);
getDiagonalPoints(cur_point);
for(i=0 to 3)
neighbor_cost = minimum + STRAIGHT_COST + cellDanger(straightPoints[i]);
if (transform_grid[straightPoints[i]] > neighbor_cost) {
transform_grid [straightPoints[i]] = neighbor_cost;
queue.push(straightPoints[i]);
}
//same for diagonalPoint with DIAGONAL_COST
}
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//Procedure getTrajectory(current_pose, goals, exploration_grid);
//returns plan

cur_point = current_pose;
vector plan;
While(!is_goal[cur_point]){
getAdjacentPoints(cur_point);
int maxDelta = 0;
for(point in adjacentPoints){
if(isFree(adjacentPoints[i])){
thisDelta = transform_grid[currentPoint] - transform_grid[adjacentPoints[i]];
if(thisDelta > maxDelta){
maxDelta = thisDelta;
nextPoint = adjacentPoints[i];
}
}
plan.push_back(cur_point);
cur_point = nextPoint;
}

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 A ROS node which responsible for generating and
limiting the twist messages which are sent to the
robot once the planner has finished its work.

Commute velocity and checks for overshoot or

undershoot
Checks whether a goal is reached or not

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 Input:
Current robot pose
Path given by exploration planner

Output:
List of velocity commands

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Running autonomous exploration in Lab environment
BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus
 Running autonomous exploration in Lab environment

BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

Thank You
By:
Anuj Bansal
ID No. 2013A7PS100P
Under the supervision of:
Prof. Sudeept Mohan
Prof. Avinash Gautam
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