Kinematic parameter calibration of a car-like mobile robot to improve odometry accuracy

Odometry provides fundamental pose estimates for wheeled vehicles. For accurate and reliable pose estimation, systematic and nonsystematic errors of odometry should be reduced. In this paper, we focus on systematic error sources of a car-like mobile robot (CLMR) and we suggest a novel calibration method. Kinematic parameters of the CLMR can be successfully calibrated by only a couple of test driving. After reducing deterministic errors by calibration, odometry accuracy can be further improved by redundant odometry fusion with the extended Kalman filter (EKF). Odometry fusion reduces nonsystematic or stochastic errors. Experimental verifications are carried out using a radio-controlled miniature car.