Mobile robot localization from learned landmarks

Presents an approach to vision-based mobile robot localization. In an attempt to capitalize on the benefits of both image and landmark-based methods, we describe a method that combines their strengths. Images are encoded as a set of visual features called landmarks. Potential landmarks are detected using an attention mechanism implemented as a measure of uniqueness. They are then selected and represented by an appearance-based encoding. Localization is performed using a landmark tracking and interpolation method which obtains an estimate accurate to a fraction of the environment sampling density. Experimental results are shown to confirm the feasibility and accuracy of the method.