Terrain mapping for outdoor robots: robust perception for walking in the grass

Abstract

The perception system for the Ambler, an autonomous legged mobile robot that operates in rugged environments, is described. Its performance during a 500-m autonomous outdoor walking experiment is analyzed. The perception system aggressively verifies sensor data and uses feedback from terrain contact to increase accuracy. Characteristics of a robust perception system, are identified, and the authors' experiences in studying outdoor perception are summarized.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>