# SignLoc: Robust Localization using Navigation Signs and Public Maps

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.18606 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.18606/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 26 Aug 2025.

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [SignNav: Leveraging Signage for Semantic Visual Navigation in Large-Scale Indoor Environments](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.16166/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Navigation signs and maps, such as floor plans and street maps, are widely available and serve as ubiquitous aids for way-finding in human environments. Yet, they are rarely used by robot systems. This paper presents SignLoc, a global localization method that leverages navigation signs to localize the robot on publicly available maps -- specifically floor plans and OpenStreetMap (OSM) graphs -- without prior sensor-based mapping. SignLoc first extracts a navigation graph from the input map. It then employs a probabilistic observation model to match directional and locational cues from the detected signs to the graph, enabling robust topo-semantic localization within a Monte Carlo framework. We evaluated SignLoc in diverse large-scale environments: part of a university campus, a shopping mall, and a hospital complex. Experimental results show that SignLoc reliably localizes the robot after observing only one to two signs.