A Counter Example to the Theory of Simultaneous Localization and Map Building

Abstract

This paper analyses the properties of the full covariance simultaneous map building problem (SLAM). We prove that, for the special case of a stationary vehicle (with no process noise) which uses a range-bearing sensor and has non-zero angular uncertainty, the fullcovariance SLAM algorithm always yields an inconsistent map. We also show, through simulations, that these conclusions appear to extend to a moving vehicle with process noise. However, these inconsistencies only become apparent after several hundred beacon updates