Naming the initial position to Scan Matching

[YamatoAndo]

In the NDT Scan Matcher node, the initial position to scan matching is called initial pose.
https://github.com/autowarefoundation/autoware.universe/blob/main/localization/ndt_scan_matcher/launch/ndt_scan_matcher.launch.xml#L6

However, some people seem to mistake initial pose for the initial position given at startup. Especially, I think this mistaking occurs because the word is similar to /initialpose that is the topic output by RViz's 2D PoseEstimate.

I would like to change the word so that the mistaking does not occur.
Anyone has ideas?

[yukkysaito]

I think there is some confusion as to whether it means an initial pose as autoware flow or an optimization initial guess of localization.
currently, an initial pose means an optimization initial guess. but some people misunderstand it for autoware flow.

[YamatoAndo]

I asked several people around me and came up with the following candidates.

• initial guess
• predicted pose
• pose hint

[IshitaTakeshi]

optimization_start_pose?

[IshitaTakeshi]

the initial position to scan matching is called initial pose

Just to confirm, does it mean the initial pose of the NDT pose optimization?
The name should concisely explain

• What it does or what it is for
• How it is used

[angry-crab]

PCL NDT uses initial_guess btw.

[kfunaoka]

A technical term would be initial guess.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gradient_descent#:~:text=minimize.%20As%20an-,initial%20guess,-%2C%20let%20us%20use

[YamatoAndo]

Thank you for your input.
It seems that initial_guess is common, but I think optimization_start_pose is easier to understand.