Topological SLAM Based on Voronoi Diagram and Extended Kalman Filter

Through the simultaneous localization and map building (SLAM) technique, a robot can create maps about its unknown environment while it continuously localizes its position. Grid maps and feature maps have been widely used for SLAM together with application of probability methods and POMDP (partially observed Markov decision process). But this approach based on grid maps suffers from enormous computational burden. Topological maps, however, have drawn more attention these days because they are compact, provide natural interfaces, and are easily applicable to path planning in comparison with grid maps. Some topological SLAM techniques like GVG (generalized Voronoi diagram) were introduced, but it enables the robot to decide only whether the current position is part of GVG branch or not in the GVG algorithm. In this paper, therefore, to overcome these problems, we present a method for updating a global topological map from the local topological maps. These local topological maps are created through a labeled Voronoi diagram algorithm from the local grid map built based on the sensor information at the current robot position. And the nodes of a local topological map can be utilized as the features of the environment because it is robust in light of visibility problem. The geometric information of the feature is applied to the extended Kalman filter and the SLAM in the indoor environment is accomplished. A series of simulations have been conducted using a two-wheeled mobile robot equipped with a laser scanner. It is shown that the proposed scheme can be applied relatively well.