Characterization and calibration of multiple 2D laser scanners

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Autonomous Systems
• Geomatics Engineering
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Compact and lightweight 2D laser scanners are crucial for mobile mapping applications.
• Existing technical datasheets offer limited insights into real-world indoor mapping performance.
• Backpack-based scanning requires reliable and accurate sensor data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comparatively evaluate the performance of Hokuyo URG-04LX, Slamtec RPLidar A1-M8, and Hokuyo UTM-30LX-EW scanners.
• To characterize scanner performance specifically for indoor mapping tasks.
• To identify and mitigate sources of measurement uncertainty.

Main Methods:

• Experimental characterization of three 2D laser scanners through statistical analysis.
• Data acquisition using Robot Operating System (ROS) with offline processing.
• Evaluation of range measurement drift, accuracy at various distances, and material property impacts (color, smoothness).
• Application of Kalman Filtering for scanner calibration and uncertainty reduction.

Main Results:

• Detailed analysis of range measurement drift for each scanner.
• Quantification of accuracy variations with scanning distance.
• Assessment of how different indoor materials affect scanner measurements.
• Demonstration of Kalman filtering's effectiveness in improving measurement accuracy.

Conclusions:

• The study provides a comprehensive performance evaluation of selected 2D laser scanners for indoor mobile mapping.
• Kalman filtering significantly enhances scanner calibration and reduces measurement uncertainties.
• Findings guide the selection of appropriate laser scanners for backpack-based mapping applications.