What does "Ego-motion Compensation" mean?

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Ego-motion Compensation (EMC) is a method used in self-driving technology to improve how vehicles detect objects around them. When a car moves, it can create challenges in recognizing nearby objects because the vehicle's motion can blur the view.

To tackle this issue, EMC removes the effect of the car's movement from the data collected. This is done by using information about how the vehicle moves, known as odometry. By eliminating the vehicle's motion, the method allows for the combination of current point clouds—3D representations of the environment—with previous ones.

This combination helps to create a clearer picture by filling in gaps in the data, making it easier for the car to identify and understand the position of nearby objects. However, EMC can have some problems, especially with moving objects. When these objects are in motion, they can leave behind a trail, leading to misalignment between what is seen and the actual position of the objects.

Despite this issue, EMC significantly enhances the accuracy of detecting stationary and slow-moving objects. By aligning these point clouds correctly, self-driving vehicles can better perceive their surroundings and react accordingly.