Bootstrapping
Bootstrapping is the process of determining the robot’s initial 6DoF pose within the map at the start of a new localization session. Before the robot can localize continuously, Pose Engine must know the approximate starting location within the map.
Initialization sources
Pose Engine supports multiple initialization sources that provide a hint as to the initial starting location. Any of the following can be used as bootstrapping hints:
| Source | Notes |
|---|---|
| Last known pose | Stored at the end of the previous localization session |
| GNSS/INS | Any quality (RTK not required); only suitable if the map was built with GNSS |
| Fiducial markers | Markers placed at known locations in the map; only suitable if the map was annotated with marker locations |
Once a hint is provided, Pose Engine performs a scene-based search relative to the map.
After bootstrapping
Once bootstrapping has successfully completed, Pose Engine begins generating continuous pose and odometry outputs. The robot can then navigate within the mapped area using the online pose outputs.
If the robot leaves the mapped area or loses localization, a new bootstrap may be required. Localization quality signals indicate when pose estimates are reliable.
See Pose results — Online for details on the online outputs generated after successful bootstrapping.