Low cost UGV platform for autonomous 2D navigation and map-building based on a single sensory input

This paper presents a low-cost, single sensor autonomous mobile robot. The proposed system is able to map an indoor environment, while at the same time localizing itself within it, and solving the SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) problem using data gathered from the sensor. It is able to navigate the environment, choosing safe paths for exploration based on the data acquired by mapping and localization. The system is based on commercially available, in-expensive hardware, while the software is developed with open-source ROS (Robot Operating System) packages. The ability for autonomous navigation of the proposed system has been verified through real-world experiments. The system offers a simple to build platform, which can easily be extended.