AUTHOR=Frosi Matteo , Bertoglio Riccardo , Matteucci Matteo 

TITLE=On the precision of 6 DoF IMU-LiDAR based localization in GNSS-denied scenarios

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Robotics and AI

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/robotics-and-ai/articles/10.3389/frobt.2023.1064930

DOI=10.3389/frobt.2023.1064930

ISSN=2296-9144

ABSTRACT=Positioning and navigation represent relevant topics in the field of robotics, due to their multiple applications in real-world scenarios, ranging from autonomous driving to harsh environment exploration. Despite localization in outdoor environments is generally achieved using a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, GNSS-denied environments are typical of many situations, especially in indoor settings. Autonomous robots are commonly equipped with multiple sensors, including laser rangefinders, IMUs, and odometers, which can be used for mapping and localization, overcoming the need for GNSS data. In literature, almost no information can be found on the positioning accuracy and precision of 6 Degrees of Freedom LiDAR localization systems, especially for real-world scenarios. In this paper, we present a short review of state-of-the-art LiDAR localization methods in GNSS-denied environments, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. Then, we evaluate two state-of-the-art Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) systems able to also perform localization, one of which implemented by us. We benchmark these two algorithms on manually collected dataset, with the goal of providing an insight into their attainable precision in real-world scenarios. In particular, we present two experimental campaigns, one indoor and one outdoor, to measure the precision of these algorithms. After creating a map for each of the two environments, using the SLAM part of the systems, we compute a custom localization error for multiple, different trajectories. Results show that the two algorithms are comparable in terms of precision, having a similar mean translation and rotation errors of about 0.01 m and 0.6 deg, respectively. Nevertheless, the system implemented by us has the advantage of being modular, customizable and able to achieve real-time performance.