Abstract: A waveguide comprises a first surface and a second surface. The first surface comprises a first plurality of grating structures. The waveguide is configured to guide an in-coupled light beam to undergo total internal reflection between the first surface and the second surface. The first grating structures are configured to disrupt the total internal reflection to cause at least a portion of the in-coupled light beam to couple out of the waveguide and project from the first surface, the portion of the in-coupled light beam coupled out of the waveguide forming out-coupled light beams, the out-coupled light beams being configured to form an array of dots on a surface where the out-coupled light beams are projected on.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor assembly can comprise an optics assembly that includes a LIDAR sensor and a set of dovetail joint inserts. The LIDAR sensor assembly can further include a frame comprising a set of dovetail joint septums coupled to the set of dovetail joint inserts of the optics assembly.

Abstract: In a range imaging camera, a first range image producing unit produces a first range image by calculating a distance to an object on the basis of the delay time or the received light amount of each pixel produced by a light receiving processing unit. A second range image producing unit produces a second range image by performing filtering for each pixel of the first range image using a group of neighboring pixels including its own pixel. In this case, a pixel group selection unit selects a group of pixels used in the filtering such that at least one of produced values including the delay time and the received light amount produced by the light receiving processing unit and the first range image produced by the first range image producing unit is equal to or larger than a noise component value.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for determining a range and relative speed of objects in an environment. An example method includes causing a laser light source to emit a plurality of light pulses, both incoherent and coherent. The light pulses interact with an environment to provide reflected light pulses. The method includes providing a local oscillator signal based on a coherent light pulse. The method also includes receiving, at a detector, the reflected light pulses, and the local oscillator signal. The method additionally includes determining, based on at least one of the reflected light pulses, a presence of an object in the environment. The method yet further includes determining, based on another reflected light pulse and the local oscillator signal, a relative speed of the object with respect to the detector.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods that facilitate compliance of a laser device with a laser safety threshold. An example method includes receiving, from a sensing circuit, an operating voltage that is indicative of a charge of a capacitive element of a laser pulser circuit. The method also includes comparing a first voltage indicative of the operating voltage and a second voltage indicative of a reference voltage. The method additionally includes providing an output value based on the comparing. The method yet further includes evaluating compliance with the laser safety threshold based on the output value.

Abstract: The present invention provides a shaft rotational speed measurement device and method based on variable density sinusoidal fringe pattern. The device comprises a variable density sinusoidal fringe pattern sensor, a high speed image acquisition and transmission module, a computer, and an image processing software module.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging system is provided for improving imaging accuracy and measurement range. The light detection and ranging system may comprise: a light source configured to emit a multi-pulse sequence into a three-dimensional environment, in which the multi-pulse sequence comprises multiple light pulses having a temporal profile; a photosensitive detector configured to detect light pulses returned from the three-dimensional environment and generate an output signal indicative of an amount of optical energy associated with a subset of the light pulses; and one or more processors electrically coupled to the light source and the photosensitive detector, and the one or more processors are configured to: generate the temporal profile based on one or more real-time conditions; and determine one or more parameters for selecting the subset of light pulses.

Abstract: A method for the vertical calibration of an agricultural machine wear tool is provided. The method includes: placing the wear tool in contact with a reference area; measuring the value of a position variable linked to the positioning of the wear tool when it is in contact with the reference area; determining the theoretical vertical positioning component of the wear tool according to the value measured, based on a reference curve; and determining a matching curve between a vertical positioning component of the wear tool and the position variable, by shifting the reference curve by a value equal to the theoretical vertical component.

Abstract: A method for image-based point measurement includes moving a surveying system along a path through a surrounding and capturing a series of images of the surrounding. A subset of images are defined as frames and a subset of frames are defined as key-frames. Textures are identified in first and second frames and are tracked in successive frames to generate first and second frame feature lists. A structure from motion algorithm is used to calculate camera poses for the images based on the first and second frame feature lists. Corresponding image points in images of the series of images are identified using feature recognition in at least a plurality of images. Three-dimensional coordinates of the selected image point are determined using forward intersection with the poses of the subset of images in which corresponding image points are identified. The three-dimensional coordinates of the selected image point are presented to the user.

Abstract: A surveying instrument comprises a base; an alidade rotatable about a first axis relative to the base; and an optical measuring instrument having a measuring axis rotatable about a second axis relative to the alidade. A beam path can be provided for a light beam using components including a light source, lenses, mirrors, beam splitters, and a position-sensitive detector. The surveying can be calibrated by performing plural measurements at different orientations of the alidade relative to the base and different orientations of the measuring instrument relative to the alidade using the above components.

Abstract: An optical measurement device is provided with: a light source that irradiates, with light, a measurement object which has a fluid flowing thereinside; a light receiving unit which, upon receipt of scattered light from the measurement object irradiated with light, outputs a light reception signal according to the intensity of the scattered light; a disturbance generation unit which generates a disturbance signal for causing oscillation of a drive current to be supplied to the light source; and an adjustment unit which adjust the drive current on the basis of the result of a comparison between the disturbance signal and a signal generated on the basis of the light reception signal.

Abstract: To determine spatial orientation of a vehicle, a set of illuminators is mechanically coupled to the vehicle so as to emit light toward a roadway. A set of sensors is mechanically coupled to the vehicle to receive the emitted light as reflected from the roadway. A timer determines times of flight between emission of the light by the set of illuminators and reception of the reflected light by the set of sensors. A processor determines the spatial orientation of the vehicle from a difference in the times of flight.

Abstract: A laser radar includes: a light source including a laser diode; an optical system configured to shape laser light emitted from the laser diode, into a line beam that is long in one direction, and project the line beam to a target area; and a scanner configured to perform scanning with the line beam in a short side direction of the line beam. The laser diode is disposed such that a fast axis of the laser diode extends along a direction corresponding to the short side direction of the line beam.

Abstract: A frequency shift correcting unit (25) which corrects a frequency shift of a plurality of first signal spectra within the same time range with respect to a frequency of first laser light beam and corrects a frequency shift of a plurality of second signal spectra within the same time range with respect to a frequency of second laser light beam, and a spectrum integrating unit (26) which integrates a plurality of first signal spectra corrected by the frequency shift correcting unit (25) and integrates a plurality of second signal spectra corrected by the frequency shift correcting unit (25) are provided, and a molecular concentration calculating unit (27) calculates a concentration of molecules in the atmosphere from the first and second signal spectra integrated by the spectrum calculating unit (26).

Abstract: A system and method include generating environment data from skylight sensor data. The environment data includes a value of a geospatially dependent parameter associated with light received from a predetermined celestial light source. At least two of a compass direction of the predetermined celestial light source when the skylight sensor data was received, a time at which the skylight sensor data was received, or a geospatial coordinate at which the skylight sensor data was collected are received. At least one of the compass direction of the predetermined celestial light source when the skylight sensor data was received, the time at which the skylight sensor data was received, or the geospatial coordinate at which the skylight sensor data was collected is determined, at least in part, from the environment data.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for imaging a surface via time of flight measurement. An illumination system includes an illumination driver and an illumination source and is configured to project modulated electromagnetic radiation to a point on a surface of interest. A sensor system includes a sensor driver and is configured to receive and demodulate electromagnetic radiation reflected from the surface of interest. A temperature sensor is configured to provide a measured temperature representing a temperature at one of the illumination driver and the sensor driver and located at a position remote from the one of the illumination driver and the sensor driver. A compensation component is configured to calculate a phase offset between the illumination system and the sensor system from at least the measured temperature and a model representing transient heat flow within the system.

Abstract: A range sensor and a method thereof. The range sensor includes a light source configured to project a plurality of sheets of light at an angle within a field of view (FOV); an image sensor, wherein the image sensor is offset from the light source; collection optics; and a controller connected to the light source, the image sensor, and the collection optics, and configured to simultaneously determine a range of a distant object based on direct time-of-flight (TOF) and a range of a near object based on triangulation.

Abstract: Systems and methods described herein relate to LIDAR systems and their operation. An example method includes partitioning a plurality of light-emitter devices into a plurality of groups. Each light-emitter device is associated with a given group of the plurality of groups. The method also includes selecting a group from the plurality of groups according to a predetermined group order and selecting one or more light-emitter devices from the plurality of light-emitter devices of the selected group according to a firing order. The method yet further includes, at a predetermined shot dither time, causing the selected light-emitter device to emit at least one light pulse. The predetermined shot dither time is based on a shot dither schedule. The method may additionally include repeating the method to provide a complete scan in which each light-emitter device of the plurality of light-emitter devices has emitted at least one light pulse.

Abstract: An optical system has a LIDAR chip that includes a switch configured to direct an outgoing LIDAR signal to one of multiple different alternate waveguides. The system also includes a redirection component configured to receive the outgoing LIDAR signal from any one of the alternate waveguides. The redirection component is also configured to redirect the received outgoing LIDAR signal such that a direction that the outgoing LIDAR signal travels away from the redirection component changes in response to changes in the alternate waveguide to which the optical switch directs the outgoing LIDAR signal.

Abstract: Techniques are described to for improving a resolution of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system. A receiver circuit of a LIDAR system can sample a reflection signal from an object in response to a transmitted light pulse. A controller can determine a curve fit to the received samples and, based on a peak value of the curve fit, determine a precise location of the object.