Semidefinite Programming Gradient Descent vs. SLAM: A Comparative Analysis for Reconstructing Seabed Terrain

Master Thesis (2025)
Author(s)

P.K. Kartoidjojo (TU Delft - Mechanical Engineering)

Contributor(s)

M. Mazo Jr. – Mentor (TU Delft - Team Manuel Mazo Jr)

Dimitris Boskos – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Team Dimitris Boskos)

S. Vakili – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Team Manuel Mazo Jr)

Faculty
Mechanical Engineering
More Info
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Publication Year
2025
Language
English
Graduation Date
22-05-2025
Awarding Institution
Delft University of Technology
Programme
Mechanical Engineering | Systems and Control
Faculty
Mechanical Engineering
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Abstract

This thesis introduces a novel SLAM method based on Semidefinite Programming–Gradient Descent (SDP-GD) and compares it to a sonar-based SLAM algorithm and the ORB-SLAM2 visual SLAM algorithm for seabed reconstruction. All three algorithms were tested in Gazebo/ROS simulations using BlueROV2 and Desistek SAGA AUV models. A linear discrete time varying model is built and a PID controller is used for each AUV along straight trajectories while collecting measurement with among others a stereo-camera and sonar sensor. Across the various seabed profiles with increasing complexity, SDP-GD demonstrated reconstruction accuracy comparable to ORB-SLAM2. Furthermore, SDP-GD consistently achieved lower errors and exhibited greater robustness across different levels of seabed complexity when compared to the Sonar-Based SLAM algorithm. These findings suggest that SDP-GD matches the performance of with both sonar-based and visual SLAM methods in terms of performance, with the only downside being its higher computational cost.

Files

Thesis_Final_5_.pdf
(pdf | 12.2 Mb)
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