All posts by Kevin Lidtka

Watching the 4th Dimension

Tech tools for capturing change over time are changing… over time. Editor’s note: “The Purpose of Time Is to Prevent Everything from Happening at Once” is the title of a poem by X. J. Kennedy. But what if we want to know—all at once—everything that has happened at a particular location over time, for engineering...

Single-Photon Lidar

SPL collects massive data from the air, uses less power, and can see through semi-porous objects with green lasers. Technological advances in our industry have truly been a sight to behold. It seems like when you blink, already there’s a faster, smaller version of the instrument you just bought. Look at aerial lidar, for instance–who...

The Scanning Stalker: Who’s That In My Point Clouds?

There he is again. This is the third time today. I keep finding him in my scans–hiding behind some tree or peeking around a corner. I keep an eye out while I’m in the field, but I’ve never caught him in the act. I’ve gotten used to it over the years, but it still gives...

This hologram of a church in Texas was built from a combination of airborne and terrestrial lidar scans.

Wizardly 3D

Above: This hologram of a church in Texas was built from a combination of airborne and terrestrial lidar scans. More than just illusions, hologram technology is booming. Every once in a while a new product or technology comes out that makes you do a double take and think, “Wait, what is that?” This happened to me...

3D CAD model of casting with gating and filtering system

3D Printing Forrealz

Imagine purchasing a new washer and dryer. Inside is a little package with the usual owner’s manual and warranty information, but also … a little usb drive. Imagine receiving a similar usb drive when you purchase a new car. And another when you buy a piece of furniture. You file them away thinking they might...

Summertime, and the Surveying Ain’t Easy

Now that winter and even spring have finished thrashing half the country, we can officially enjoy summer. As a laser scanner operator I have a fairly easy job this season due to the limitations of the instrument—at least, it’s easier than being a field surveyor. If you’ve ever worked on a survey crew in the...