Andrés Galeote Luque PhD defense (May’24)

In May 2024, Andrés Galeote Luque successfully defended his doctoral thesis titled “Advances in 3D Range Sensors Odometry for Mobile Robotics.” This pivotal research delves into the crucial realm of localization in mobile robotics, a cornerstone for the safe and efficient operation of autonomous agents. Andrés’s work is particularly noteworthy for its focus on odometry algorithms utilizing data from a diverse array of range sensors, including depth cameras, lidars, and radars.

Within his thesis, several innovative odometry methods tailored for different range sensors are presented, integrating techniques from both direct and indirect approaches, culminating in a hybrid methodology that extracts planar features from depth images for subsequent matching. Building upon this, the thesis explores the utilization of 3D lidars capable of outputting ordered point clouds, and the development of a 3D lidar odometry method that segments the ground plane, enhancing motion estimation accuracy. To conclude, the thesis delves into the realm of Doppler-capable range sensors, leveraging radial velocity data to estimate motion from a single observation, thus circumventing the need for data association.