Lidar is a method for determining ranges by targeting an object with a
laser and measuring the time taken by the reflected light to return to the receiver. Lidar can also be used to make digital
3-D representations of areas on the Earth's surface and ocean floor, due to differences in laser return times, and by varying laser wavelengths. It has terrestrial, airborne, and mobile applications. This image shows an
orthographic projection of a registered
point cloud depicting the intersection of
Folsom Street and Dore Street in
San Francisco, California. The point cloud was captured over 18 seconds and
registered in real time using an
Ouster OS1 lidar unit mounted on a moving car. The points are coloured by a function based on raw lidar intensity multiplied by range, with orange signifying brighter regions and dark blue for darker regions. Lidar is a popular sensor for
self-driving cars.
Image credit: Daniel L. Lu