A Fuzzy Set-Theoretic Approach to Occupancy Grid Mapping

This paper introduces a fuzzy set-theoretic approach to environment modeling as an alternative to conventional Occupancy Grid Mapping (OGM). The proposed method generalizes the crisp definitions of map cells and sensor measurements by employing fuzzy sets. Consequently, it utilizes fuzzy inference with interpretable rules instead of binary Bayesian inference to determine occupancy states from sensory data. As a result, the fuzzy mapping technique addresses uncertainty while eliminating assumptions about data distribution or cell occupancy probabilities. A notable advantage of the proposed Fuzzy Occupancy Grid Mapping (FOGM) is its ability to evaluate the overall occupancy states of sub-regions of the environment in a single query, unlike traditional methods that require point-by-point assessments. While this advantage introduces increased computational complexity, the mapping process is designed to ensure real-time operation. Another prominent feature of the FOGM is that it creates continuous maps with smooth occupancy variations as compared to the discrete binary maps the traditional OGM generates. The performance of the proposed technique is validated through experiments involving a mobile robot localized via a motion capture system. The robot collects range data in real-time using a LiDAR sensor to be used for mapping. Results demonstrate that the fuzzy mapping approach effectively and accurately represents the environment while maintaining computational efficiency. Its capability in parallel execution on multiple processing cores further enhances real-time performance.