Questions and Answers
Yes, it is possible to use rotating mirror to scan the space. But most of all triangulation lidars have a big distance between laser and lens, so the mirror must be big (in case of 360deg scanning):
2. There are a lot of cheap linear CCD sensors from scanners or barcode readers. Can we use some of them?
No. All that sensors are big (so the big lens needed), low sensitive. Also, CCD sensors are difficult to control - they need high voltages and two-phase clock signal.
This is the sensor, whose length is bigger than image produced by lens. Most of the M12 lens are designed for usage with 1/3" and 1/4" sensors, so the image diameter is less than 10 mm. Also, big sensor can not be installed inside usual M12 lens holder.
Yes, but the measurement speed of most Sharp sensors is very low (< 100 Hz), so scanning speed would be very low too.
Yes, but the measurement speed of most such sensors is very low (50 Hz), so scanning speed would be very low too. Also they have very big angle of the laser beam.
Yes, it is possible, but the scanning speed will be very low. That's because of low speed of matrix image sensors (<200 FPS). Linear sensor can be much faster - more than 2000 readings/sec.
- Also, the dataflow from matrix will be very big, so it would be need FPGA to process data.
- Also, brightness of "line" laser is less then brightness "dot" laser.
LIDAR is an acronym of "light detection and ranging". So the method of the distance measurement can be any kind.
7. Neato and RPLIDAR Lidars has the same design but their resolution is better than resolution of this Lidar. Why?
That is because they are using PANAVISION DLIS-2K sensor. It has > 2000 pixels, but it is very hard to order it.
Increasing distance is strongly decreasing received signal level and resolution. Also it is limited by angle between laser beam and lens optical axis, but in my case this limit is not reached.
Resolution can be changed by changing LIDAR geometry. Increasing "base distance" - distance between laser and lens would increase resolution in any case. Increasing angle between laser beam and lens optical axis could increase resolution, but maximum distance will be limited.
There is a possibility that resolution can be increased by adding signal amplifier after image sensor.