LiDAR News » Technology

Shape Extraction from Point Clouds in AutoCAD

lidar — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:50:46 +0000

Autodesk Labs has recently announced the availability of a new “Point Cloud Shape Extraction Plug-in for AutoCAD”. This is a potentially very important development, particularly if Autodesk has been able to solve some of the difficult problems that surround this critically important issue.

My son and I were discussing this very topic with Jarlath O’Neill Dunne from the University of Vermont and the Spatial Analysis Lab today over lunch. Jarlath has done a lot of thinking and hands on research into automated feature extraction, as have many others including the US military. This is the “search for the Holy Grail”.

If Autodesk has something new and exciting it certainly has the potential to be a game changer for the laser scanning industry. Kudos to all involved and please let me know what you think of the software.

LiDAR in Space

lidar — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:49:04 +0000

A research team from NASA Ames is on Devon Island, Canada exploring the Haughton Crater with the goal of understanding how humans and robots can work better together. The K 10 robot is equipped with an Optech ILRIS – 3D laser scanner, which is capable of making 3D measurements with a precision of 5mm at 500 m.

It may not be Mars or the moon, but as the video demonstrates, it looks something like it. Truly an exciting research project.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Laser Scanning and Architectural Details

lidar — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 23:29:09 +0000

Creating architectural details used to be done by hand.
Streamline Automation has created a production system, that includes laser scanning and 3D CNC routing.
Using coated foam and the right shaping equipment either the desired object or a mold can be created from the laser scan-derived, 3D model.

It used to be that the only way to create intricate architectural details was to carve them by hand. Some would say that was a good thing, but with the loss of these kind of craftsman, and the advent of new technology that is no longer true.

One company, Streamline Automation has developed a complete system for creating the most intricate architectural details that includes the use of laser scanning. The new material of choice is reported to be coated foam. For the simpler designs a hot wire tool is sufficient to produce the detail from the foam.

When the design is more complicated a laser scan can be used to generate a 3D model, which in turn can be produced using a 3D CNC foam router. In some cases when concrete is the preferred material the system can produce a concrete mold design at the touch of a button.

It might not be BIM, but it is another link between laser scanning and architecture.

Using Full-Waveform LiDAR To Improve DTM Accuracy

lidar — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 01:02:09 +0000

With the ability to collect full-waveform signals from airborne LiDAR systems researchers from the Vienna University of Technology wanted to see if the distribution of amplitude and echo width could be used to predict whether a point was terrain or “other”. This could lead to more automated data processing and increased DTM accuracy.

Their research examined different ground cover conditions to insure that their approach would not be biased. Using the full-waveform methodology they were able to accurately label 92% of the terrain echoes correctly. However, they concluded that amplitude and echo width were not sufficient to completely identify terrain points, but that this processing could be used as part of a larger classification methodology.

Automating LiDAR data processing is the key to opening up the use of this data.

Assessing Wind Farm Locations with LiDAR

lidar — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 23:45:55 +0000

One of the leading developers of renewable energy, Mainstream Renewable Power, has completed the first extensive wind assessment campaign in Latin America using Natural Power’s ZephIR lidar which, based at ground level, provides remote wind measurements from 10-200 meters to aid in the development of new wind farm sites.

The environmental challenges were very demanding, preventing other measurement techniques. The unit reportedly performed flawlessly.

Natural Power

LiDAR-Guided Full Size Helicopter

lidar — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 21:43:47 +0000

Now this is impressive - the first full size, fully-autonomous helicopter flight guided by, you guessed it – LiDAR. The system engineers include a team from Carnegie Mellon who, it sounds to me borrowed from their previous experience with the DARPA challenge. In those vehicles they used laser scanners to create a 3D map in real time, which they then used for navigation.

It’s nice when a plan comes together.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Laser Scanning and Structural Deformations

lidar — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 00:58:30 +0000

These researchers based at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (interesting combination) wanted to see if laser scanning could be of value in measuring the structural deformations of bridges.

First they verified that the laser scanner was meeting the published accuracy of +/- 5mm by measuring the deformation of a steel plate under controlled conditions in the lab. The laser scanner measurements were compared to those obtained using high-precision digital calipers.

They then moved into the field where they studied 2 bridges over the Danube. The results were found to be similar with a number of advantages noted for the scanner. In the final analysis, however, given the higher accuracy required for deformation studies, the scanner was not able to provide the primary system of measurement.

True Orthos from LiDAR-Derived Surfaces and Images

lidar — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 11:35:30 +0000

Aerial photogrammetric techniques often do not create the necessary 3D models to accurately assess forest stands, according to A. Koto and others at the Chiba University in Japan. LiDAR-derived surface models can be used to derive the 3D tree crown structure. This LiDAR-derived DSM could be used with conventional photogrammetric techniques to rectify aerial photos and produce true orthophotos for each image.

When combined with the spectral information from the aerial photos this approach can provide much better forestry-specific information. Once again the power of data fusion is seen as the better solution.

Laser Scanning Submarine Hulls

lidar — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 00:26:15 +0000

25 years ago I took a tour of a Los Angeles class fast attack submarine.
The hull is covered with rubber tiles to make the sub less detectable with sonar.
Creaform has sold the US Navy scanners that can assess the quality of the tiles.

It was almost 25 years ago that I had the good fortune to a take a tour of a Los Angeles class, fast attack submarine on a Air Force National Guard junket to San Diego – amazing. The first thing you notice when you step on the deck is that it is covered with some type of rubber compound. This helps to absorb the sonar signals and make the sub undetectable.

Creaform, a Canadian-based company that develops laser scanning technology has sold its Handyscan 3D system to the US Navy. The first delivery of the MAXscan laser scanners will be to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, which is located about 10 miles from where I live.

The MAXscan 3D laser scanners will be used to scan the submarine hulls, covered in a special kind of rubber, to detect any damage done to the rubber tiles, so that customized replacement parts can be quickly manufactured. Other Navy bases are investigating the technology.

Fusing Laser Scanned Data with Imagery in Real Time

lidar — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 22:27:31 +0000

Some of the key scientists at Ambercore in Ottawa, Canada have applied for a patent on technology they have developed to fuse image data from a line scan camera with laser scanned data – in real time. The result is real time colorization of a 3D point cloud.

It sounds like their method of aligning the 2 sensors in real time is what makes their idea a patentable technology. Other existing methods are not reliable.

That would seem to have a number of important applications for navigation and situational awareness, among others.