Development of a compact high-resolution 3D laser range imaging system

A long-range scanning laser range imaging system designed for 3D imaging applications is presented. The system will be compact, lightweight and low power: ideally suited for remote and robotic applications. It will feature a fully-programmable scanner with a wide field of regard, and a precise time-of-flight laser range measurement system that will provide high-speed, accurate point-cloud data from very short to very long ranges. The potential applications of this technology to be briefly discussed here, both terrestrial and in space, are numerous. They include: robotic vision; autonomous navigation and guidance; mapping and surveying; on-orbit rendezvous and docking; planetary landing; visual geology; and rover navigation. This paper will discuss the physical characteristics of the system as well as the performance of the lidar itself. Test results and some sample imagery will be presented. The paper will also discuss some of the applications for which the system may be suited.