VH-80: The World's First Bilateral Laser Measurer - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 11, 2017, 10:18:45 am
content: Have not run the numbers but mymeter just went off the scale. They claim (and show a demo video of) supposedly 1mm resolution using laser distance measurement. Note, it's NOT using ultrasonics, it's actually using timed laser pulses.https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/vh-80-the-world-s-first-bilateral-laser-measurer-architecture#/

author: m98
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2017, 11:06:25 am
content: What's so strange about that? Their project sounds absolutely reasonable. 1 mm resolution with ±3 mm accuracy and 40 m range is pretty standard for laser rangefinders. Its specs of range and accuracy are similar to for example the bottom-of-the-line Leica Disto D1, while their top model offers ±1 mm accuracy over a 300 m range.

author: htassell
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 11, 2017, 11:12:38 am
content: At first glance it looks reasonable. The Leica Disto TOF laser distance meters I use at work are +/-1mm at 200 m range. I assume they're just bolting two modules together to back to back. That said, it doesn't seem that innovative. You can make the same measurements they claim using a normal laser distance meter, with the same number of measurements - you just place the meter on the wall/floor and measure to the other surface rather than standing in the middle of the room...

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2017, 11:20:03 am
content: Quote from: htassell on July 11, 2017, 11:12:38 amSure, but they are trying to claim that you can do L/W/H without moving, try that with a normal meter... But how you can point it that accurate I don't know.

author: htassell
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 11, 2017, 11:46:12 am
content: True, it might be good in certain applications, but in general I take the measurements from the corner of the room - I don't have to move - I can take all three measurements from the same spot.

author: daqq
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2017, 12:39:54 pm
content: Actually, seems pretty doable. TOF measurements for light stuff are often done and can be done on the cheap with reasonable precision and accuracy. The resolution is, to the best of my knowledge doable.

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 11, 2017, 01:11:09 pm
content: I don't see that their product offers any major benefits or features over the Bosch handheld lasers that we already use, in my view it is a pretty pointless exercise to stand in the middle of a room taking accurate measurements or distance calculations without some additional means to transfer those readings to surfaces for say the positioning of light fittings, ceiling speakers or other symmetrically located fixtures, as you would do with a plumb bob or straight edge and a pencil in which case the entire process becomes rather a fiddly task.In relation to the LWH calculations I believe they neglected to mention that their measurement device would need to be rotated or positioned in each of the XYZ axis prior to taking a reading, unless of course it incorporates multiple simultaneous lasers which I doubt, some others I believe can manage this process easily though.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 11, 2017, 01:15:47 pm
content: Ok, sounds like it's doable, I wasn't up to date on laser range finding tech. Thanks

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 11, 2017, 01:33:36 pm
content: A damned handy gadget indeed and extremely accurate, you should get one and have a play, I like the Bosch ones myself.Distance Measurement Meter.

author: julianhigginson
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2017, 11:42:45 pm
content: yeah it just looks like 2 normal laser rangefinders taped back to back with a special purpose calculator added.if you spent a lot of time estimating the volume of rooms (real estate agent? internal decorator? painter?) I think it'd be handy but for the casual distance measurement it seems overkill.:-)I'd like to see something similar but with one laser rangefinder tied to a very solid IMU such that you could just hold down a button and wave it around a room to build a point cloud of the room.... kind of like a spinning LIDAR but user supplies the motion, and it works in 3D. that would be awesome, but wouldn't be so reliable with modern IMU tech as I've seen it. might be able to work if also tied in with 3d vision system?

author: janekm
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 12, 2017, 01:51:58 am
content: Quote from: julianhigginson on July 11, 2017, 11:42:45 pmThis does make a lot of sense (actually I assumed that's what this project is already doing?). The dual laser range finders would still be useful as it would help to find the minimum / maximum dimensions in all directions, reducing the need for really accurate orientation. Lower-end laser range finder modules don't have sufficient sampling rate, though presumably that's just a firmware issue.