Improved occupancy grid mapping in specular environment

This paper addresses the improved method for sonar sensor modeling which reduces the specular reflection uncertainty in the occupancy grid. Such uncertainty reduction is often required in the occupancy grid mapping where the false sensory information can lead to poor performance. Here, a novel algorithm is proposed which is capable of discarding the unreliable sonar sensor information generated due to specular reflection. Further, the inconsistency estimation in sonar measurement has been evaluated and eliminated by fuzzy rules based model. To achieve the grid map with improved accuracy, the sonar information is further updated by using a Bayesian approach. In this paper the approach is experimented for the office environment and the model is used for grid mapping. The experimental results show 6.6% improvement in the global grid map and it is also found that the proposed approach is consuming nearly 16.5% less computation time as compared to the conventional approach of occupancy grid mapping for the indoor environments.

► Technique to improve the occupancy grid for mobile robots is proposed.
► Specular reflection in sonar sensor information is filter out using fuzzy technique.
► 6.6% improvement attained in the global grid map using proposed technique.
► 16.5% computation time saved to generate occupancy grid.
► Quantitative and qualitative analysis of occupancy grid mapping described in detail.