Engineers at APL have developed a portable mapping
system—carried in a backpack—that can be used to automatically create annotated
physical maps of locations where GPS is not available, such as in underground
areas and on ships.
Produced for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), the
Enhanced Mapping and Positioning System (EMAPS) captures a floor-plan-style map
of the area traversed, as well as 360-degree photos and sensor readings of that
area using a combination of lasers and sensors. The system improves upon
algorithms once developed for robots—which are not practical for all
environments—and has a built-in allowance for normal human movement, like
walking.