AI-powered LiDAR

LiDAR has been playing a very useful role in many industries for decades, but only recently, with the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, have we begun to realize its true potential. LiDAR, also known as light detection and ranging, is a remote sensing technology. It uses a laser scanner to measure the distance and size between the sensor and target objects such as buildings or pedestrians, etc. With the combined use of AI and LiDAR, the technology for various scenarios is optimized to achieve speed and accuracy beyond imagination. AI-powered LiDAR helps us save time and enables us to develop high-precision and up-to-date 3D environment models. AI-powered LiDAR is being widely used in a lot of industries, especially in autonomous driving, security, agriculture, etc.

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LiDAR is mostly installed on airplanes to scan the terrain. In the 1980s, in the application of GPS (Global Positioning System), people used LiDAR to scan and collect data to build 3D models. With the development of technology, today, as costs decrease and the breadth of available LiDAR data increases, AI-powered LiDAR provides a lot of potential in a lot of application scenarios such as autonomous driving, security monitoring, industrial automation, etc. and is opening up huge innovation opportunities.

Combination of LiDAR and AI

LiDAR and AI can be said to be an ideal match. LiDAR is used to collect 3D points to create a point cloud, while AI is good at processing data. The pulse frequency range of LiDAR is usually between 10,000 and 200,000 pulses per second, and multiple echoes can be generated from the same laser pulse. The results of LiDAR echoes can be processed by AI models to understand and detect a given environment (such as creating a topographic map).

In the past, key targets can only be scanned and identified by means of artificial labeling of data generated by LiDAR. There is no doubt that this work is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and requires professionals to do it. With the development of computer vision and image processing technology, AI can help automate the labeling process. Today, artificial intelligence can process unstructured data input and accurately output target objects (for example, nearby vehicles or infrastructure) for further analysis.

AI-powered LiDAR helps us save time and enables us to develop high-precision and up-to-date 3D environment models. LiDAR will help detect more, farther, and clearer in a lot of applications, especially in autonomous driving, security, agriculture, etc. Because of these advancements, all major industries are now beginning to apply AI-powered LiDAR on a large scale.

Practical Use of AI-powered LiDAR

LiDAR plays an essential role in many industrial fields: construction, manufacturing, oceanography, 3D printing, virtual reality, etc. The following are a few very important application scenarios of AI-powered LiDAR:

1. Self-driving car

Self-driving cars need AI-powered LiDAR to scan the surrounding area and create a 3D model of the environment. At the same time, combined with the data input from the LiDAR and camera, it can almost instantly determine how the vehicle should drive safely. The accuracy of AI-powered LiDAR is essential to ensure the safety of car passengers.

2. Agriculture

In the agricultural field, AI-powered LiDAR systems installed on drones are used to quickly create topographic maps of farmland. These maps help farmers determine ideal areas for planting crops, apply chemical fertilizers, and spray pesticides based on altitude and sunshine. After sowing, farmers can also use LiDAR to track crop yields.

3. Security issues in the military, infrastructure, and other fields

LiDAR is used by many militaries to detect borders and to identify suspicious objects, and this practice has been around for decades. As artificial intelligence brings more possibilities, we can foresee that AI-powered LiDAR will automatically detect potential hazards in the environment. Autonomous robots coworking with AI-powered LiDAR can also help protect the construction industry or other people doing dangerous work.

The increase in computer processing power and the investment in AI have made the cooperation between AI and LiDAR more diverse. As LiDAR is widely used in all walks of life, innovation will inevitably enter all aspects of our lives, shaping the way we experience technology as we move towards an AI-powered world. And definitely, AI-powered LiDAR will make a lot of miracles for our life in the near future!