Google Releases Open Source Cartographer Techworm
SLAM algorithms pool data from various sensors (e.g. LIDAR, IMU and cameras) to calculate the position of the sensor and a map of the sensor’s surroundings at the same time. “Our focus is on advancing and democratizing SLAM as a technology,” Googlers Damon Kohler, Wolfgang Hess, and Holger Rapp wrote in a blog post. “Currently, Cartographer is heavily focused on LIDAR SLAM. Through continued development and community contributions, we hope to add both support for more sensors and platforms as well as new features, such as lifelong mapping and localizing in a pre-existing map....