Localization using RGB-D cameras orthoimages

Abstract

3D cameras are a new generation of sensors more and more used in geomatics. The main advantages of 3D cameras are their handiness, their price, and the ability to produce range images or point clouds in real-time. They are used in many areas and the use of this kind of sensors has grown especially as the Kinect (Microsoft) arrived on the market. This paper presents a new localization system based exclusively on the combination of several 3D cameras on a mobile platform. It is planed that the platform moves on sidewalks, acquires the environment and enables the determination of most appropriate routes for disabled persons. The paper will present the key features of our approach as well as promising solutions for the challenging task of localization based on 3D-cameras. We give examples of mobile trajectory estimated exclusively from 3D cameras acquisitions. We evaluate the accuracy of the calculated trajectory, thanks to a reference trajectory obtained by a total station.