Multirobot Decentralized Collaborative SLAM in Planetary Analogue Environments: Dataset, Challenges, and Lessons Learned
🤖 AI Summary
This work addresses the challenges of communication constraints and localization robustness in multi-robot collaborative SLAM (C-SLAM) within planetary-like environments lacking pre-established positioning and communication infrastructure. The study presents the first publicly available multi-robot C-SLAM dataset, collected using three robots deployed in a real Mars-analog terrain, which includes measurements of real-time peer-to-peer communication throughput and latency. A decentralized SLAM architecture is employed, integrated with a self-organizing wireless network and real-time pose estimation and map fusion techniques. Experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of C-SLAM under low-bandwidth, high-latency conditions and reveal the impact of intermittent connectivity on system performance, thereby providing critical benchmark data and empirical evidence to support future extraterrestrial exploration missions.
Application Category
📝 Abstract
Decentralized collaborative simultaneous localization and mapping (C-SLAM) is essential to enable multirobot missions in unknown environments without relying on preexisting localization and communication infrastructure. This technology is anticipated to play a key role in the exploration of the Moon, Mars, and other planets. In this article, we share insights and lessons learned from C-SLAM experiments involving three robots operating on a Mars analogue terrain and communicating over an ad hoc network. We examine the impact of limited and intermittent communication on C-SLAM performance, as well as the unique localization challenges posed by planetary-like environments. Additionally, we introduce a novel dataset collected during our experiments, which includes real-time peer-to-peer inter-robot throughput and latency measurements. This dataset aims to support future research on communication-constrained, decentralized multirobot operations.
Problem
Research questions and friction points this paper is trying to address.
decentralized collaborative SLAM
multi-robot systems
planetary analogue environments
intermittent communication
localization challenges
Innovation
Methods, ideas, or system contributions that make the work stand out.
Decentralized C-SLAM
multi-robot systems
planetary analogue environments
intermittent communication
robotic dataset
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