Summary

Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) has evolved significantly with the emergence of Neural Radiance Fields (NeRFs) and 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS). The survey offers the first comprehensive overview of SLAM through the developments in radiance fields, discussing the background, the path of evolution, and the challenges faced.

• Two decades of evolution in SLAM, now influenced by NeRFs and 3DGS.
• Detailed overview of the strengths and limitations of recent developments.
• Acts as a reference point for understanding SLAM’s dynamic progress.
• Addresses specific research challenges that need to be tackled.

SLAM’s future is poised for further innovations, with radiance fields technologies offering new possibilities for autonomous systems navigation. The paper sheds light on the potential synergies between SLAM and these rendering approaches, paving the way for more effective autonomous exploration.Read more