1. A mapping and positioning apparatus comprising: an inertial measurement unit (IMU) module configured to monitor movement of the apparatus through an environment, the IMU module being configured to monitor the movement at least in part on the basis of detecting steps taken by a transporter of the apparatus; a scanner module configured to employ laser scanning to determine distances to objects or boundaries in the environment as the transporter moves the apparatus through the environment; and a control unit configured to receive data from at least the IMU module and the scanner module and make an environmental determination to classify the environment, the control unit further being configured to generate map data based on the data received from the IMU module and the scanner module, wherein the environment is classified based on the number of features and size of the environment, wherein the control unit is further configured to adaptively adjust processing of the data received from the IMU module and the scanner module based on a classification of the environment, wherein adaptively adjusting processing comprises shifting a balance of the generating map data between laser based processing and inertial movement based processing.