SnowPole Detection: A Comprehensive Dataset for Detection and Localization Using LiDAR Imaging in Nordic Winter Conditions

The SnowPole Detection dataset is a comprehensive collection of labeled LiDAR images, specifically designed for snow pole detection in road environments. This dataset was collected using a high-resolution OS2-128 LiDAR sensor mounted on an autonomous vehicle research platform, covering diverse environments such as mountainous, open, and forested areas. The SnowPole Detection dataset supports applications in computer vision, with a particular focus on snow pole detection and localization. The OS2-128 LiDAR sensor initially captures point clouds, which are then converted into 360-degree images across four modalities—Near-IR, Signal, Reflectivity, and Range—using the Ouster SDK. To enhance usability, color images were generated by assigning the first three modalities (Near-IR, Signal, and Reflectivity) to the blue, green, and red channels, respectively, excluding the Range modality. Initial labeling was conducted using Roboflow, with further refinement in CVAT, resulting in high-quality annotations. The dataset comprises a total of 1,954 manually labeled images, divided into 1,367 training images, 390 validation images, and 197 test images, following a 70/20/10 split. Since the images across all modalities are pixel-aligned, the labels for the color images are also applicable to each modality individually. This structure allows researchers to directly use the dataset for snow pole detection tasks, whether focusing on color or individual LiDAR modalities.