Applications Of Laser Range Finders
Laser range finders are devices which use laser beams to determine how far an object is. The most common forms of these range finders work on the principle of time of flight. In this principle a pulse is sent in the direction of the object whose distance is to be found out. The time taken for the pulse to be reflected by the target back to the sender is measured. This method is however not preferred for high precision measurements. In such cases other techniques such as triangulation are used.
The pulse emitted is usually coded. This is important to prevent the range finder being jammed. Doppler effect is utilized to determine when an object is moving away or towards the device and also how fast it is traveling. The precision of the finder can be as good as a few millimeters depending on the speed of the detector and how sharp the pulses are.
When the range of distant objects is being found out there are a few effects that have to be considered. These are atmospheric distortions, scintillation effects as well as divergence of the beam itself. The beam is narrow when leaving the device but due to air bubbles it is distorted by wander effects and scintillation. The beam also diverges over a long distance. These effects make it hard to get an accurate reading of the distance at which an object stands when it is too far or when the object lies obscured.
Temperature and wind are also factors that could hinder proper functioning of a laser range finder. When an object is near a heat source the laser light is bent. Wind pushes heat bubbles horizontally making it difficult to achieve an accurate reading.
Calculation of the distance is done by following a mathematical formula. The speed of light is known and the time taken for the pulse to come back to sender is measured. This makes it possible to get the distance.
Some instruments measure only one distance at a time while more advanced finders are able to give multiple returns. Technological advancement has led to improvement in accuracy by use of multiple frequency phase shift and interferometry techniques. The rangefinders sold to consumers are eye safe while those in the military have a higher energy level that could be harmful.
Some of the applications of laser range finders are in the military, 3D modeling, forestry, sports and industry production processes. Other applications are in measuring tools. These are tools used in construction industries as alternatives to tape measure.
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