Analysis of 3D Scan Measurement Distribution with Application to a Multi-Beam Lidar on a Rotating Platform

Abstract

Multi-beam lidar (MBL) rangefinders are becoming increasingly compact, light, and accessible 3D sensors, but they offer limited vertical resolution and field of view. The addition of a degree-of-freedom to build a rotating multi-beam lidar (RMBL) has the potential to become a common solution for affordable rapid full-3D high resolution scans. However, the overlapping of multiple-beams caused by rotation yields scanning patterns that are more complex than in rotating single beam lidar (RSBL). In this paper, we propose a simulation-based methodology to analyze 3D scanning patterns which is applied to investigate the scan measurement distribution produced by the RMBL configuration. With this purpose, novel contributions include: (i) the adaption of a recent spherical reformulation of Ripley’s K function to assess 3D sensor data distribution on a hollow sphere simulation; (ii) a comparison, both qualitative and quantitative, between scan patterns produced by an ideal RMBL based on a Velodyne VLP-16 (Puck) and those of other 3D scan alternatives (i.e., rotating 2D lidar and MBL); and (iii) a new RMBL implementation consisting of a portable tilting platform for VLP-16 scanners, which is presented as a case study for measurement distribution analysis as well as for the discussion of actual scans from representative environments. Results indicate that despite the particular sampling patterns given by a RMBL, its homogeneity even improves that of an equivalent RSBL.

Scan Pattern Characterization of Velodyne VLP-16 Lidar Sensor for UAS Laser Scanning

“…For example, even a yaw angle of 30° would only yield a reduction in the width of that swath. This finding aligns with the results of [ 7 ], which achieved an analogous result by developing an automatic tilting platform for the VLP-16 in a static, terrestrial pose.…”

“…Alongside sensor accuracy and repeatability lies another chief concern for the acquisition of UAS lidar mapping data: the resulting pattern of laser pulse returns, i.e., the scan pattern, of the multi-beam, “fan-style” lidar sensor often used in UAS lidar mapping ( Figure 1 ). A thorough study of the scan pattern of the multi-beam lidar sensor (and the only study of its kind, to the authors’ knowledge) is presented in Morales et al [ 7 ]; however, the problem is approached with the lidar sensor in a static, terrestrial pose. The scan pattern of the multi-beam lidar sensor, particularly from the dynamic, aerial pose ( Figure 1 ), is the principal topic of the following study.…”

Reshaping Field of View and Resolution with Segmented Reflectors: Bridging the Gap between Rotating and Solid-State LiDARs

“…In [12], the authors share their design for both rolling and pitching 3D scanning using a 2D LiDAR. Another tilting scanner using a 3D LiDAR was demonstrated in [13]. Here, the authors proposed a simulation-based methodology to analyze 3D scanning patterns which was applied to investigate the scan measurement distribution produced by a rotating multi-beam LiDAR.…”

An Improved Low-Noise Processing Methodology Combined with PCL for Industry Inspection Based on Laser Line Scanner

“…Chromatic confocal sensor, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning electron microscope (SEM), etc., can be used for 3D reconstruction in micro- or nano-scales. Depth camera, coordinate measuring machine (CMM), and laser line scanner (LLS) denote the acquisition methods for the industrial manufacturing industry, and lidar can be used as the means of building reconstruction for large scale measurement [1,2,3]. In the SEM and the other 3D modeling for micro and nano-fabrication to obtain the micro-morphology of the measured object, the measurement range is generally narrow.…”