Merging topological maps for localisation in large environments

This article presents a method for the creation of a topological map without having to previously create a geometric map. Independently obtained topological paths are compared pairwise to search for possible overlap in the view sequence. Each individual topological path is created from a sequence of raw data views that are sampled by leading the robot along a path in the environment. The multiple topological paths are 'stitched together' into a generic Topological map by identifying overlapping segments in the individual sequences. A general topological map can be created by considering all the multiple sequences or separate runs through the environment. Results on the merger of upto 8 separate paths indicate that this method of mapping large environments, by selective touring through the environment, can generate robust topological maps.