
From the article it looks a lot like an ActivMedia Pioneer with a SICK laser which you can control through Player/Stage and includes all of the mapping algrothims, still have to do work to make it work however.
This looks like a fairly standard reasearch project for undergrad student, player/stage is littered with uni students asking questions about using these type of modules
I am not suprised by the lack of accuracy in the shown map, you normally get a lot of errors due to the robot not accurately figuring out where it is everytime it turns even slightly. Onboard odometry is never that good.
If you want something slightly more cutting edge, yet still old look at the mapping out of something like Kurt3D
Any circuit design must contain at least one part which is obsolete, two parts which are unobtainable, and three parts which are still under development.