Choosing The Right Lidar Solution For Your Applications; What Do You Consider?

As tech revolutionizes varying industries, Lidar’s popularity has and continues to hit new highs. This is as better manufacturing techniques come to light, facilitating affordable mass production. Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) uses pulsed laser light, a remote sensing technology that wins favor among various industries. From autonomous and assisted driving, agriculture, mining, astronomy, archeology, architecture, robotics, to mention a few, its applications are extensive.

Lidar deliver superior results compared to Radar and cameras. For instance, cameras are affected by light, meaning they aren’t that effective in the not-so-well-lit areas, not to mention that they don’t pick depth. With unparalleled dimension and depth, Lidar is effective in establishing the distance between objects, especially as it is a lot faster. Nonetheless, not all Lidar solutions are effective in every situation. As you consider including Lidar technology in your operations, among the factors to ensure you pick the best solution includes;

The tech

Would your operations benefit more from 2D or 3D Lidar? With 2D tech, you can only detect an object. 3D provides more details. This means you’ll know what the object is as the detailed cloud point establishes its shape and depth.  The primary checkpoint is how much information you need to extract for efficient operations as you consider the tech. For instance, you might only be interested in floor plans in architecture, which 2D Lidar can manage. If you are interested in more details such as map, objects’ height, and location, you would be best off with 3D lidar technology.

Range

Does your operation require long or short and close-range lidar detection technology? Lidar range can’t take the back seat as you select an ideal solution as it directly impacts the operations. For instance, investing in short-range solutions for fast-moving use, you won’t get the best results. In automotive, for example, long-range lidar tech is ideal. It ensures that the fast-moving car detects an object from mid and long-range. This means there is sufficient time to take the appropriate action, such as slowing down. Nonetheless, such a range doesn’t work when the object is closer, typically within 1m or less. Short-range lidar tech will suffice in an indoor environment characterized by slower operations.

Field of view (FoV)

Do you need a 360-degree view? If your application requires a detailed 360 view, you need to ensure the horizontal and vertical axes are covered. However, in applications such as constrained spaces, where you only need to look straight ahead, such a view only puts an extra load on your system.

With the tech, range, and FoV, you are a step closer to narrowing the ideal Lidar solution for your applications. From here, you can dive in deeper on specifics such as object’s reflectivity, channels, and PPS.  The more channels, the denser and more detailed the point cloud. Points per Second (PPS) determine the laser measurements per second, with more points translating to a denser, detailed, and accurate point cloud. Regardless of your needs, it is recommendable to ensure that you only select safety-certified LiDAR.