USA-based Velodyne Lidar, a leading provider of HD LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensing solutions, has launched its small, weight-less, economical system called the HDL-32E, for use in independent navigation and 3D mobile mapping.
The HDL-32E is an improved version of the core technology developed for the HDL-64E that has been released in 2007. The HDL-32E is 5.9 inches high and 3.4 inches wide, with a weight lower than three pounds. It is designed to satisfy strict specifications in military and automotive environment. The system is equipped with about 32 lasers arranged above a 40° Vertical Field of View, and produces 800,000 distance points in each second.
The HDL-32E can rotate 360° degrees, and it offers measurement and intensity data across a range of 5 cm to 100 m, having a precision of +/- 2 cm. Thus, it generates a high definition, rich, 3D point cloud, which offers valuable environmental data for mobile mapping and autonomous vehicle applications, when compared to the traditional LiDAR sensors.
Bruce Hall, President of Velodyne, commented that the clients are highly satisfied with the point cloud produced by the HDL-64E, but have demanded for compact, weight-less and cost-effective solutions. He added that the HDL-32E has a much identical point cloud, and can be deployed in independent vehicles where weight, size, and cost are a major issue. The system can even be utilized for indoor, outdoor, and various mapping purposes.
Source: http://www.velodyne.com