Global Appearance Applied to Visual Map Building and Path Estimation Using Multiscale Analysis
F. Amoros, L. Payá, O. Reinoso, W. Mayol-Cuevas, A. Calway
Mathematical Problems in Engineering  (2014)
Ed. Hindawi Publishing Corporation  ISSN:1024-123X  DOI:10.1155/2014/365417  - Volume 2014, Article ID 365417, pp. 1 - 23

Abstract:

In this work we present a topological map building and localization system for mobile robots based on global appearance of visual information.We include a comparison and analysis of global-appearance techniques applied to wide-angle scenes in retrieval tasks. Next, we definemultiscale analysis, which permits improving the association between images and extracting topological distances. Then, a topological map-building algorithm is proposed. At first, the algorithm has information only of some isolated positions of the navigation area in the form of nodes. Each node is composed of a collection of images that covers the complete field of view froma certain position.The algorithm solves the node retrieval and estimates their spatial arrangement.With these aims, it uses the visual information captured along some routes that cover the navigation area. As a result, the algorithm builds a graph that reflects the distribution and adjacency relations between nodes (map). After the map building, we also propose a route path estimation system.This algorithm takes advantage of the multiscale analysis.The accuracy in the pose estimation is not reduced to the nodes locations but also to intermediate positions between them.The algorithms have been tested using two different databases captured in real indoor environments under dynamic conditions.