Abstract: An autonomous mapping system defines the exploration behavior of a mobile robot in a physical environment, according to a multi-objective optimization. With multi-objective optimization, the exploration behavior of the robot depends on joint consideration of two or more exploration objectives, such as speed, coverage, and consistency. In at least one embodiment, the autonomous mapping system is user customizable via a user interface that, among other things, allows a user to prioritize and/or select the exploration objectives considered in the multi-objective optimization.

Abstract: A map updating technique offers the performance advantages gained by robots using a good-quality static map for autonomous navigation within an environment, while providing the convenience of automatic updating. In particular, one or more robots log data while performing autonomous navigation in the environment according to the static map, and a computer appliance, such as a centralized server, collects the logged data as historic logged data, and performs a map update process using the historic logged data, Such operations provide for periodic or as needed updating of the static map, based on observational data from the robot(s) that capture changes in the environment, without need for taking the robot(s) offline for the computation.