Towards the Ultimate Construction Site Sensor

The NIST Construction Metrology and Automation Group (CMAG), in cooperation with the NIST Intelligent Systems Division (ISD), is developing performance metrics and researching issues related to the design and development of a "Next Generation LADAR" sensor that will enable general automation in structured and unstructured environments. This paper quickly reviews the basic physics and implementation of various LADAR technologies, describes the problems associated with available "off-the-shelf" LADAR systems, summarizes State-of-the-Art work underway around the world, and elaborates on general directions that advanced research in this area of sensor design will take in the coming years and its likely impact on construction automation.