VIMS: A Visual-Inertial-Magnetic-Sonar SLAM System in Underwater Environments

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Zhang, Bingbing, Yin, Huan, Liu, Shuo, Zhang, Fumin, Xu, Wen
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Zhang, Bingbing
Yin, Huan
Liu, Shuo
Zhang, Fumin
Xu, Wen
author_facet Zhang, Bingbing
Yin, Huan
Liu, Shuo
Zhang, Fumin
Xu, Wen
contents In this study, we present a novel simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) system, VIMS, designed for underwater navigation. Conventional visual-inertial state estimators encounter significant practical challenges in perceptually degraded underwater environments, particularly in scale estimation and loop closing. To address these issues, we first propose leveraging a low-cost single-beam sonar to improve scale estimation. Then, VIMS integrates a high-sampling-rate magnetometer for place recognition by utilizing magnetic signatures generated by an economical magnetic field coil. Building on this, a hierarchical scheme is developed for visual-magnetic place recognition, enabling robust loop closure. Furthermore, VIMS achieves a balance between local feature tracking and descriptor-based loop closing, avoiding additional computational burden on the front end. Experimental results highlight the efficacy of the proposed VIMS, demonstrating significant improvements in both the robustness and accuracy of state estimation within underwater environments.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2506_15126
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle VIMS: A Visual-Inertial-Magnetic-Sonar SLAM System in Underwater Environments
Zhang, Bingbing
Yin, Huan
Liu, Shuo
Zhang, Fumin
Xu, Wen
Robotics
In this study, we present a novel simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) system, VIMS, designed for underwater navigation. Conventional visual-inertial state estimators encounter significant practical challenges in perceptually degraded underwater environments, particularly in scale estimation and loop closing. To address these issues, we first propose leveraging a low-cost single-beam sonar to improve scale estimation. Then, VIMS integrates a high-sampling-rate magnetometer for place recognition by utilizing magnetic signatures generated by an economical magnetic field coil. Building on this, a hierarchical scheme is developed for visual-magnetic place recognition, enabling robust loop closure. Furthermore, VIMS achieves a balance between local feature tracking and descriptor-based loop closing, avoiding additional computational burden on the front end. Experimental results highlight the efficacy of the proposed VIMS, demonstrating significant improvements in both the robustness and accuracy of state estimation within underwater environments.
title VIMS: A Visual-Inertial-Magnetic-Sonar SLAM System in Underwater Environments
topic Robotics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.15126