EXTRACTING DRIVABLE SURFACES IN OUTDOOR 6 D SLAM

A basic issue of mobile robotics is generating environment maps automatically. Outdoor terrain is challenging since the ground is uneven and the surrounding is structured irregularly. In earlier work, we have introduced 6D SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) as a method to taking all six DOF of robot poses (x, y, z translation; roll, pitch, yaw angles) into account. This paper adds to 6D SLAM a method for extracting drivable surfaces in the 3D maps while they are being generated. Experiments have been made in a Botanical Garden, with drivable surfaces consisting of gravel paths or lawn, both involving significant slope.

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