A robust localization algorithm in topological maps with dynamic noises

Purpose – The paper's purpose is to propose a localization algorithm for topological maps constituted by nodes and edges in a graph form. The focus is to develop a robust localization algorithm that works well even under various dynamic noises. Design/methodology/approach – For robust localization, the authors propose an algorithm which utilizes all available data such as node information, sensor measurements at the current time step (which are used in previous algorithms) and edge information, and sensor measurements at previous time steps (which have not been considered in other papers). Also, the algorithm estimates a robot's location in a multi‐modal manner which increases its robustness. Findings – Findings show that the proposed algorithm works well in topological maps with various dynamics which are induced by the moving objects in the map and measurement noises from cheap sensors. Originality/value – Unlike previous approaches, the proposed algorithm has three key features: usage of edge data, inclusion of history information, and a multi‐modal based approach. By virtue of these features, the paper develops an algorithm that enables robust localization performance.