In automated information retrieval and processing, many different methods are used. In our work we suggest algorithms and procedures which are generally used in real-world robotics might be also useful in virtual information worlds ? namely in the Semantic Web.
Such real-world methods address navigation, localization and mapping problems, but so far we have not seen similar methods being used in information processing. Based on the data robots acquire using their sensors, they can build their ?world map?, determine their position in a map, or even both at the same time.
Our aim is to examine some major methods which help the real robots to successfully do their work in real word and look for parallels which could be used for virtual robots or agents in a virtual world, for example within the hyperlinked documents in the world wide web or in data and metadata used in the Semantic web.