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A key aspect of robotics today is estimating the state (e.g., position and orientation) of a robot, based on noisy sensor data. This book targets students and practitioners of robotics by presenting classical state estimation methods (e.g., the Kalman filter) but also important modern topics such as batch estimation, Bayes filter, sigmapoint and particle filters, robust estimation for outlier rejection, and continuous-time trajectory estimation and its connection to Gaussian-process regression. Since most robots operate in a three-dimensional world, common sensor models (e.g., camera, laser rangefinder) are provided followed by practical advice on how to carry out state estimation for rotational state variables. The book covers robotic applications such as point-cloud alignment, pose-graph relaxation, bundle adjustment, and simultaneous localization and mapping. Highlights of this expanded second edition include a new chapter on variational inference, a new section on inertial navigation, more introductory material on probability, and a primer on matrix calculus.
List of contents
Acronyms and abbreviations; Notation; Foreword to first edition; Foreword to second edition; 1. Introduction; Part I. Estimation Machinery: 2. Primer on probability theory; 3. Linear-Gaussian estimation; 4. Nonlinear non-Gaussian estimation; 5. Handling nonidealities in estimation; 6. Variational inference; Part II. Three-Dimensional Machinery: 7. Primer on three-dimensional geometry; 8. Matrix lie groups; Part III. Applications: 9. Pose estimation problems; 10. Pose-and-point estimation problems; 11. Continuous-time estimation; Appendix A: matrix primer; Appendix B: rotation and pose extras; Appendix C: miscellaneous extras; Appendix D: solutions to exercises; References; Index.
About the author
Timothy D. Barfoot is a Professor at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies. He has been conducting research in the area of navigation of mobile robotics for over 20 years, both in industry and academia, for applications including space exploration, mining, military, and transportation. He is a Fellow of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society.
Summary
This book is intended for students and practitioners of robotics working with noisy sensor data to estimate state variables. New edition highlights include a new chapter on variational inference and new sections on adaptive covariance estimation and on inertial navigation as well as a primer on matrix calculus.
Foreword
This modern look at state estimation now covers variational inference, adaptive covariance estimation, and inertial navigation.
