Abstract

This paper presents a novel method for localization of mobile robots in structured environments. The estimation of the position and orientation of the robot relies on the minimisation of the partial Hausdorff distance between ladar range measurements and a floor plan image of the building. The approach is employed in combination with an extended Kalman filter to obtain accurate estimates of the robot's position, heading and velocity. Good estimates of these variables were obtained during tests performed using a differential drive robot, thus demonstrating that the approach provides an accurate, reliable and computationally feasible alternative for indoor robot localization and autonomous navigation. © 2007 Cambridge University Press.