| Abstract | Neptec Design Group has developed the Laser Camera System (LCS), a 3D autosynchronized laser scanner based on a principle originating from the National Research Council of Canada. In imaging mode, the LCS raster scans objects and captures reflections from their surface features. In centroid acquisition mode, the LCS determines the position of discrete target points on an object.<br /><br />Neptec Design Group first developed the LCS for space applications. In August 2001, theLCS flew successfully onboard space shuttle Discovery during mission STS-105 to theInternational Space Station (ISS). During the mission, the LCS took four high-resolution(1024x1024 voxels) images of elements of the ISS during orbital day and night, demonstrating its immunity to dynamic lighting conditions. The LCS also tracked targets affixed to the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) while in motion, more than 10 m away. Comparison with Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) data confirmed that the LCS tracked these targets with millimetre precision. <br /><br />Following the mission, the LCS has been demonstrated in a variety of terrestrial commercial applications. Two examples from the earth sciences include imaging rock faces in an underground mine to delineate joints to design adequate tunnel support, and acquiring detailed images of sandstone masonry walls. The high-fidelity spatial information and the intensity data captured by the LCS concurrently make it a valuable tool for the classification of geomaterials based on reflectivity and texture. |
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