Simultaneous localization and mapping with learned object recognition and semantic data association

Complex and structured landmarks like objects have many advantages over low-level image features for semantic mapping. Low level features such as image corners suffer from occlusion boundaries, ambiguous data association, imaging artifacts, and viewpoint dependance. Artificial landmarks are an unsatisfactory alternative because they must be placed in the environment solely for the robot's benefit. Human environments contain many objects which can serve as suitable landmarks for robot navigation such as signs, objects, and furniture. Maps based on high level features which are identified by a learned classifier could better inform tasks such as semantic mapping and mobile manipulation. In this paper we present a technique for recognizing door signs using a learned classifier as one example of this approach, and demonstrate their use in a graphical SLAM framework with data association provided by reasoning about the semantic meaning of the sign.