Patent ID: 8151644

Claim:
A portable non-contact sensor system, comprising: a laser generator subsystem configured to project a plurality of laser pulses at a surface of an object that is to be characterized, the laser pulses encoded with patterns, wherein the projected laser pulses generate ultrasonic waves within the object; a laser detector subsystem configured to project a laser beam at the surface and to receive return laser pulses from the object based on the generated ultrasonic waves; a beam steering subsystem operably associated with the laser generator subsystem and the laser detector subsystem; an analysis subsystem configured to analyze the received return pulses and characterize the object, the analysis subsystem including a microprocessor; a power management subsystem operably associated with the microprocessor; a user interface operably associated with the microprocessor; and a communications interface configured to enable communication between the sensor system and a device external to the sensor system, wherein the sensor system is configured to be hand-held.