Active range sensing for mobile robot localization

Presents an active scheme for the localization of a mobile robot based on the detection of natural landmarks. Assuming that a partial 3D model of the environment is known a priori, an optimal and active choice of the landmark is supported on a new strategy for 3D map partition, yielding high updating rates of the location estimates. Good localization accuracy and robustness are achieved by combining laser range data with odometry, using Kalman filtering schemes.