A new device can scan your face in 3D with hundreds of meters away

With 325 meters, your eyes can probably distinguish the person’s head from the body – and not much. But a new laser device can create a three -dimensional face model.

Aongus McCarthy At the University of Heriot-Watt in Scotland and his colleagues, they built a device that can create detailed three-dimensional paintings, including ridges and recesses, as much as 1 millimeter, from hundreds of meters. He uses the recording technique Called Lidarbroadcasting impulses of laser light who collide with objects and then reflect back into the device. Based on how long each impulse should be returned, the lidar can determine the shape of the object.

To get to this level of detail, the team had to carefully calibrate and reconcile many different components, says McCarthy, such as tiny parts that direct the laser impulses inside the device. In order to enable the distinguishing of individual light particles, researchers used a sensor to detect light based on an incredibly thin piece Super -traffic wireA component that is not common in Lidar. Filtering sunlight It could enter the detector and break down the picture was another challenge.

The researchers tested their Lidar system on the roof near their lab by capturing a detailed three -dimensional image of a 45 and 325 meter team head. To a lesser extent, they captured Lego figurines from a distance of 32 meters.

In the second test, they envisioned a segment of a communication tower, which was a kilometer away. “It was a very difficult test – because of a bright background and we didn’t have control over what we could put on stage [that we were imaging]”, Says McCarthy.

Feihu Xu at the Chinese University of Science and Technology, whose team previously used Lidar to record Of 200 kilometersHe says McCarthy and his colleagues have achieved “extraordinary results” when it comes to the depth resolution of their device. “That’s the best so far,” he says.

Lidar is becoming more relevant to modern technology, says Vivek Goyal at the University of Boston in Massachusetts. Says he will be able to create detailed three -dimensional environmental maps will be crucial for autonomous vehicles even even Some robots – But a new device will need to be smaller and more compact before it can be used for this purpose.