Efficient implementation of EKF-SLAM on a multi-core embedded system

Abstract

Research community has developed numerous SLAM (Simultaneous Localization And Mapping) algorithms in the last ten years. These algorithms are widely used by autonomous robots operating in unknown environments. Several works have presented many algorithms' optimizations. New computing technologies (SIMD coprocessors, multi-cores) can greatly accelerate the system processing but require rethinking the algorithm implementation. This paper presents an efficient implementation of the EKF-SLAM algorithm on a multicore architecture. The algorithm-architecture adequacy aims to optimize the implementation of the SLAM algorithm on a low-cost architecture (Dual-core and Dual SIMD coprocessor). Experiments were conducted with an instrumented platform. Results aim to demonstrate that an optimized implementation of the algorithm, resulting from an evaluation methodology, can help to design embedded systems implementing low-cost multicore architecture operating under real time constraints.