Types of mapping and localization
The field of localization and mapping is absolutely full of amazing research and is continually growing. The advancement of GPUs and computer processing speeds has led to the development of some very exciting algorithms.
Quickly, let's get back to saving our ducks! Recall in the previous section that our dear sat-nav voice did not see the ducks crossing the road in front of us. A map will never be completely accurate since the world is ever-changing and morphing. Therefore, we must have a way to not only localize using a pre-built map but also build a map in real time so that we can see when new obstacles appear in our map and navigate around them. Introducing SLAM for the ducks (not dunks).
Although there are independent methods for mapping and localization, in this chapter, we will focus on Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). If you are curious, though, the following is a quick breakdown of the most commonly used algorithms for...