ASTM International

Standard Test Method for Evaluating the Relative-Range Measurement Performance of 3D Imaging Systems in the Medium Range
 N E2938

Annotation

This standard describes a quantitative test method for evaluating the range measurement performance of laser-based, scanning, time-of-flight, 3D imaging systems in the medium range. The term "medium range" refers to systems that are capable of operating within at least a portion of ranges from 2 to 150 m. The term "time-of-flight systems" includes phasebased, pulsed, and chirped systems. The word "standard" in this document refers to a documentary standard as per Terminology E284. This test method only applies to 3D imaging systems that are capable of producing a point cloud representation of a measured target.

As defined in Terminology E2544, a range is the distance measured from the origin of a 3D imaging system to a point in space. This range is often referred to as an absolute range. However, since the origin of many 3D imaging systems is either unknown or not readily measurable, a test method for absolute range performance is not feasible for these systems. Therefore, in this test method, the range is taken to be the distance between two points in space on a line that passes through the origin of the 3D imaging system. Although the error in the calculated distance between these two points is a relative-range error, in this test method when the term range error is used it refers to the relative-range error. This test method cannot be used to quantify the constant offset error component of the range error.

This test method recommends that the first point be at the manufacturer-specified target 1 range and requires that the second target be on the same side of the instrument under test (IUT) as the first target. Specification of target 1 range by the manufacturer minimizes the contribution to the relative range measurement error from the target 1 range measurement.