GRD - Geometric Relation Distribution

Copyright (C) 2018 Dario Lodi Rizzini.

OVERVIEW

Library grd implements the Geometric Relation Distribution, a signature encoding the spatial distribution of a planar point sets that can be used to address loop closure in 2D LiDAR localization and mapping. The library has been kept to a minimal design.

If you use this library, please cite the following paper:

   @article{lodirizzini2019ral,
     author={Lodi Rizzini, D. and Galasso, F. and Caselli, S.},
     title={{Geometric Relation Distribution for Place Recognition}},
     journal={IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (RA-L)},
     volume={4},
     issue={2},
     pages={523-529},
     year={2019},
     publisher={IEEE},
     issn = {2377-3766},
     doi = {10.1109/LRA.2019.2891432},
     note = {DOI 10.1109/LRA.2019.2891432},
   }  

or the most relevant associated publications by visiting: http://rimlab.ce.unipr.it/

DEPENDENCIES

The software depends on the following external libraries

• Boost (submodule lexical_cast)
• Eigen 3.0

Other dependencies are placed in directory thirdparty. Some examples require the external application "gnuplot" to display results.

HOW TO COMPILE

Let ${grd_ROOT} be the install directory of your local copy of library grd. The following standard commands are required to compile it:

• cd ${grd_ROOT}
• mkdir build
• cd build
• cmake ..
• make

You can also install the library into a system directory. To change the install directory you must set cmake environment variable ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX} (e.g. using command "ccmake .." before calling "cmake .."). Its default value on UNIX-like/Linux systems is "/usr/local". After compiling library grd, run the command:

• sudo make install

The command "sudo" is required only if ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX} is a system diretory managed by administrator user root. Such command copies:

• header files of ${grd_ROOT}/include/grd to ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/include/grd/
• library files ${grd_ROOT}/lib/libgrd.a to ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/lib/
• cmake script ${grd_ROOT}/cmake_modules/grdConfig.cmake to ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share/grd/

HOW TO USE LIBRARY grd IN YOUR PROJECT

If library grd has been installed in system directory "/usr/local", then it is straighforward to use it in your projects. You need to add the following lines to your project as in this example:

CMAKE_MINIMUM_REQUIRED(VERSION 2.8)
PROJECT(foobar)

find_package(grd REQUIRED)
message(STATUS "grd_FOUND ${grd_FOUND}")
message(STATUS "grd_INCLUDE_DIRS ${grd_INCLUDE_DIRS}")
message(STATUS "grd_LIBRARY_DIRS ${grd_LIBRARY_DIRS}")
message(STATUS "grd_LIBRARIES ${grd_LIBRARIES}")

if(${grd_FOUND})
include_directories(${grd_INCLUDE_DIRS})
link_directories(${grd_LIBRARY_DIRS})
endif()

add_executable(foobar foobar.cpp)
target_link_libraries(foobar ${grd_LIBRARIES})

The above example uses the variables defined in grdConfig.cmake:

• grd_FOUND - system has grd module
• grd_INCLUDE_DIRS - the grd include directories
• grd_LIBRARY_DIRS - the grd library directories
• grd_LIBRARIES - link these to use grd