High accuracy navigation using laser range sensors in outdoor applications

This paper presents the design of a high accuracy outdoor navigation system based on standard dead reckoning sensors and laser range and bearing information. The data validation problem is addressed using laser intensity information. Beacon design aspect and location of landmarks are also discussed in relation to desired accuracy and required area of operation. The results are important for simultaneous localization and map building applications since the feature extraction and validation are resolved at the sensor level using laser intensity. This facilitates the use of additional natural landmarks to improve the accuracy of the localization algorithm. Experimental results in outdoor environments are also presented.