Multidimensional evidence grids and system and methods for applying same

1. A navigation system for use with a mobile unit, the system comprising:

range sensors configured to collect range data;

a data storage system having stored therein a multidimensional evidence grid comprising voxels having voxel volumes representing probabilities of occupancies of points in space within an environment and a sensor model comprising adjustable parameters representing inaccuracies of the range sensors, wherein probability information for a voxel comprises a plurality of probability values for each point in space determined from the range data;

a grid engine configured to adjust the adjustable parameters based on received range data from the range sensors; and

a navigation module configured to direct the mobile unit though the environment using the evidence grid, received range data, and adjustable parameters.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the range sensors are stereo sensors and the range data is stereo data.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the grid engine is configured to locate the mobile unit within the environment by using the adjusted sensor model parameters to compare the received range data against the evidence grid.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein different parameters from the adjustable parameters are used for different functions.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the different functions include a coarse search.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the different functions include a fine search.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable parameters are stored in a pixel mapping table.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

an automated learning system configured to select a subset of the adjustable sensor model parameters.

9. A mapping system for use with a mobile unit, the system comprising:

range sensors configured to collect range data;

a data storage system having stored therein a sensor model comprising adjustable parameters representing inaccuracies of the range sensors;

a grid engine configured to adjust the adjustable parameters based on received range data from the range sensors; and

a mapping module configured to generate map of the environment from a multidimensional evidence grid using the received range data and adjustable parameters, the multidimensional evidence grid comprising voxels having voxel volumes representing probabilities of occupancies of points in space within, wherein probability information for a voxel comprises a plurality of probability values for each point in space determined from the range data.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the grid engine is configured to use the received range data to update the evidence grid.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:

a navigation module configured to direct the mobile unit though the environment using the evidence grid, received range data, and adjustable parameters.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the grid engine is configured to locate the mobile unit within the environment by using the adjusted sensor model parameters to compare the received range data against the evidence grid.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the localizing and the mapping use the same adjustable parameters.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the localizing and the mapping use different adjustable parameters.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the range sensors are stereo sensors and the range data is stereo data.

16. A method of generating a pixel mapping table comprising adjustable parameters of a sensor model comprises:

activating range sensors;

imaging a calibration array with the range sensors, the calibration array comprising spots on a contrasting background;

generating a rectifying function from the calibration array;

building a pixel mapping table from the rectifying function, wherein the pixel mapping table is an array having a size that corresponds to a number of pixels of the range sensors and contains information for correcting each pixel of an image from the range sensors;

storing the pixel mapping table in a memory, the pixel mapping table comprising adjustable parameters representing inaccuracies of the range sensors; and

updating the pixel mapping table over time using range data collected from the range sensors.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the pixel mapping table comprises information for correcting images for distortions related to the range sensors.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the range sensors are stereo sensors and the range data is stereo data.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the stereo sensors include stereo cameras.