Patent ID: 8537374

Claim:
A method of conveying information with a portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine (AACMM), with steps comprising: providing a manually positionable articulated arm portion having opposed first and second ends, the arm portion including a plurality of connected arm segments, each of the arm segments including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal; providing a measurement device coupled to the first end; providing an electronic circuit for receiving the position signals from the transducers and for determining a position of the measurement device; providing a first light source coupled to the first end, the first light source configured to emit first light, the first light being visible light; moving by an operator the measurement device to a first position adjacent to a first object; measuring the first position; determining a first color based at least in part on the first position and a distance between the measurement device and the first object; and illuminating the first light source to emit the first light, the first light having the first color.