RatSlam C++ library.

The xRatSLam library implements the Simultaneous Location and Mapping (SLAM) algorithm called RatSlam inspired by neural rodents knowing dynamics while performing self localization tasks.

Original code from Muñoz et al. (2022)

Requirements

• Unix OS
• OpenCV
• Boost

Building and installing

$ mkdir build
$ cd build
$ cmake ..
$ sudo make install # try no sudo first

How to use

The library files libxratslam.so* are installed by default at "/usr/local/lib/". Headers are installed at "/usr/local/include/{xratslam,ratslam}". 'pkg-config' can be used to find those locations.

If you are using cmake, add to your "CMakeLists.txt":

find_package( PkgConfig REQUIRED )
pkg_check_modules( XRATSLAM REQUIRED xratslam )

and

target_link_libraries(
...
${XRATSLAM_LIBRARIES}
...
)

Insertion of a new LocalView, PoseCell or ExperienceMap implementation

As an example, when creating the "MyCoolLV" LocalView class, follow these steps:

1. Create MyCoolLV.{cc,hh} and other dependency files at "libxratslam/src/xratslam/localview/" directory.

2. The "MyCoolLV" class must extend "xratslam::LocalView" class and have a constructor accepting a "std::string" with the name of a file containing all "MyCoolLV" settings.
   This file is supposed to formated as " = " elements. The default implementations use 'boost::property_tree::ptree' to read these settings. For an example, see: "xratslam/localview/OriginalLV.cc".

3. Add all "*.cc" files to the "add_library( xratslam SHARED .." clause in the "libxratslam/CMakeList.txt" file. Doing that those files will be compiled within the 'libxratslam' library.

4. Modify the "libxratslam/src/xratslam/Factory.cc" file to:

• Include all necessary headers to instantiate an object of "MyCoolLV" class. Ex:

#include "xratslam/localview/MyCoolLV.hh"

• Let Factor knows how to instatiate objects of class "MyCoolLV":
  Add to method "Factory::createLocalView(...)"

if ( lvName == "MyCoolLV" ) return new xratslam::MyCoolLV( configFile );

Note that "MyCoolLV" class is supposed to be declared within "xratslam" namespace!

5. The same steps should be taken for "PoseCell" and "ExperienceMap" structures, modifying all "LocalView" references, of course.

How to customized LocalView, PoseCell or ExperienceMap implementation

In the code using libxratslam library, after instantiate a "xratslam::RatSlam" object, you should set your customized ratslam structure. Example:

RatSlam slam( configFile );
...
slam.setLocalView( "MyCoolLV", configFile );

Note that "setLocalView()" should be called before "slam.start()"!

If you do not do that, the original structures coded by David Ball (david.ball@qut.edu.au) and Scott Heath (scott.heath@uqconnect.edu.au) will be used.

Can shorten the long st.lucia test mp4 down to the first 10 minutes:

ffmpeg -ss 00:00:00 -to 00:10:00 -i test.mp4 -c copy short.mp4