<title>Autocalibration of systematic odometry errors in mobile robots</title>

Abstract

This paper describes the phenomenon of systematic errors in odometry models in mobile robots and looks at various ways of avoiding it by means of auto-calibration. The systematic errors considered are incorrect knowledge of the wheel base and the gains from encoder readings to wheel displacement. By auto-calibration we mean a standardized procedure which estimates the uncertainties using only on-board equipment such as encoders, an absolute measurement system and filters; no intervention by operator or off-line data processing is necessary. Results are illustrated by a number of simulations and experiments on a mobile robot.