Graph-based Global Robot Simultaneous Localization and Mapping using Architectural Plans

In this paper, we propose a solution for graph-based global robot simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) using architectural plans. Before the start of the robot operation, the previously available architectural plan of the building is converted into our proposed architectural graph (A-Graph). When the robot starts its operation, it uses its onboard LIDAR and odometry to carry out an online SLAM relying on our situational graph (S-Graph), which includes both, a representation of the environment with multiple levels of abstractions, such as walls or rooms, and their relationships, as well as the robot poses with their associated keyframes. Our novel graph-to-graph matching method is used to relate the aforementioned S-Graph and A-Graph, which are aligned and merged, resulting in our novel informed Situational Graph (iS-Graph). Our iS-Graph not only provides graph-based global robot localization, but it extends the graph-based SLAM capabilities of the S-Graph by incorporating into it the prior knowledge of the environment existing in the architectural plan