Mapping an unknown environment with explored area-detection

Mapping and exploring an unknown area is required in many fields of life. There exist rescue robots, which are able to explore dangerous, hard to reach areas. Other robots are used for exploring areas in order to find minerals or oils. This paper presents a method, which uses a lidar sensor for scanning the environment. The presented exploration method is applicable in corridor environments. The exploration path is planned by using an n-direction scanning detection algorithm. During the exploration, those areas are detected, which do not have to be visited again. In each step of the exploration, the currently seen area is approximated with a polygon, whose area is classified into two groups: those points, which do not have to be visited again, and those points, which should be visited again during the exploration. The exploration of example maps is presented.