Autonomous navigation and mapping in a simulated environment

Abstract

Unknown Environment Exploration (UEE) with an Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) is extremely challenging. This report investigates a frontier exploration approach, in simulation, that leverages Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM) to efficiently explore unknown areas by finding navigable routes. The solution utilizes a diverse sensor payload that includes wheel encoders, three-dimensional (3-D) LIDAR, and Red, Green, Blue and Depth (RGBD) cameras. The main goal of this effort is to leverage frontier-based exploration with a UGV to produce a 3-D map (up to 10 cm resolution). The solution provided leverages the Robot Operating System (ROS).