Simultaneous mapping and planning by a robot

An apparatus for substantially simultaneously planning a path and mapping an environment, the apparatus comprising:

• a memory;
• at least one processor coupled to the memory, the at least one processor configured:
• to determine a mean of an occupancy level for a location in a map;
• to determine a probability distribution function (PDF) of the occupancy level;
• to calculate a cost function based on the mean occupancy level and a variance of the occupancy level obtained from the PDF;
• and
• to simultaneously plan the path and map the environment based on the cost function.

An apparatus for substantially simultaneously planning a path and mapping an environment, the apparatus comprising:

• means for determining a mean of an occupancy level for a location in a map;
• means for determining a probability distribution function (PDF) of the occupancy level;
• means for calculating a cost function based on the mean occupancy level and a variance of the occupancy level obtained from the PDF;
• and
• means for simultaneously planning the path and mapping the environment based on the cost function.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having program code recorded thereon for substantially simultaneously planning a path and mapping an environment for a robot, the program code being executed by a processor and comprising:

• program code to determine a mean of an occupancy level for a location in a map;
• program code to determine a probability distribution function (PDF) of the occupancy level;
• program code to calculate a cost function based on the mean occupancy level and a variance of the occupancy level obtained from the PDF;
• and
• program code to simultaneously plan the path and map the environment based on the cost function.