A laser rangefinder is a device which uses a laser beam to determine the distance to an object.
The most common form of laser rangefinder operates on the time of flight principle by sending a laser pulse in a narrow beam towards the object and measuring the time taken by the pulse to be reflected off the target and returned to the sender. A rangefinder is a device used to measure distance to an object.
Although determining the distance can use several methods, the term refers almost exclusively to telemeter devices using parallax measurement for this purpose that the object of two observation points situated at a certain distance.
The laser rangefinder are being used in some technological areas and are becoming more and more important and useful in the future technology.
Rangefinders provide an exact distance to targets located beyond the distance of point-blank shooting to snipers and artillery. They can also be used for military reconciliation and engineering.
Handheld military rangefinders operate at ranges of 2 km up to 25 km and are combined with binoculars or monoculars. When the rangefinder is equipped with a digital magnetic compass (DMC) and inclinometer it is capable of providing magnetic azimuth, inclination, and height (length) of targets.
Some rangefinders can also measure a target's speed in relation to the observer. Some rangefinders have cable or wireless interfaces to enable them to transfer their measurement(s) data to other equipment like fire control computers. Some models also offer the possibility to use add-on night vision modules. Most handheld rangefinders use standard or rechargeable batteries.
The more powerful models of rangefinders measure distance up to 25 km and are normally installed either on a tripod or directly on a vehicle or gun platform. In the latter case the rangefinder module is integrated with on-board thermal, night vision and daytime observation equipment. The most advanced military rangefinders can be integrated with computers.
To make laser rangefinders and laser-guided weapons less useful against military targets, various military arms may have developed laser-absorbing paint for their vehicles. Regardless, some objects don't reflect laser light very well and using a laser rangefinder on them is difficult.
Another area where the laser rangefinders are used extensively is in 3-D object recognition, 3-D object modelling, and a wide variety of computer vision-related fields. This technology constitutes the heart of the so-called time-of-flight 3D scanners. In contrast to the military instruments described above, laser rangefinders offer high-precision scanning abilities, with either single-face or 360-degree scanning modes.
Laser rangefinders used in computer vision applications often have depth resolutions of tenths of millimeters or less. This can be achieved by using triangulation or refraction measurement techniques as opposed to the time of flight techniques used in LIDAR.
To prove that laser rangefinders have a large usability it must be mentioned another area where these can be met. They may be effectively used in various sports that require precision distance measurement, such as golf, hunting, and archery. Some of the more popular manufacturers are: Opti-logic Corporation, Bushnell, Leica, Newcon Optik, Nikon, and Swarovski Optik.
Beyond the others, already mentioned, one of the most important application is the use of laser rangefinder technology during the automation of stock management systems and production processes in steel industry.
Laser rangefinders are also used in several industries like construction, renovation and real estate as an alternative to a tape measure. Whereas with a tape measure one would need two people to measure a large object like a room with a straight run with no obstructions to stretch the tape, with a laser measuring tool the job can be completed by one operator with just a line of sight. Laser measuring tools typically include the ability to produce some simple calculations, such as the area or volume of a room.
