new potential scanner comparison process

For comparison of laser scanning products
Post Reply
hypsometric
V.I.P Member
V.I.P Member
Posts: 201
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 6:50 pm
10
Full Name: Arash Yaghoubi
Company Details: Hypsometric
Company Position Title: Director of Cartography
Country: USA
Linkedin Profile: No
Been thanked: 3 times

new potential scanner comparison process

Post by hypsometric »

I realized recently that we can now compare scanning quality quantitatively...bc we have great software for extracting pipe... Clearedge3d BIM suite... it would be easy to do... but we would need good spot with various size and color pipe at varying distances (1-40m)... as well as and most of the manufacturers present and an adjustable height tripod... maybe something for a future spar or white paper.
tbwester
V.I.P Member
V.I.P Member
Posts: 904
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2012 1:49 pm
11
Full Name: Thad Wester
Company Details: Clarity Scanning
Company Position Title: President
Country: USA
Linkedin Profile: Yes
Location: SC
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: new potential scanner comparison process

Post by tbwester »

I don't see why the manufacturers would every participate in something like this. To much to risk!

You would just need a volunteer, or maybe when you rented a scanner for a project - do a scan with it and save it to compare down the road...

I'm sure we could coordinate that through the forum tho. ;)
User avatar
Formula1982
V.I.P Member
V.I.P Member
Posts: 162
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2015 4:02 pm
8
Full Name: Stephen Ferrari
Company Details: UTEC StarNet Geomatics
Company Position Title: Technical Lead
Country: United Kingdom
Has thanked: 7 times
Been thanked: 13 times

Re: new potential scanner comparison process

Post by Formula1982 »

tbwester wrote:I don't see why the manufacturers would every participate in something like this. To much to risk!

You would just need a volunteer, or maybe when you rented a scanner for a project - do a scan with it and save it to compare down the road...

I'm sure we could coordinate that through the forum tho. ;)
It would need to be an independent group...like this forum.

Set up a standard test method, let multiple people independently put each bit of kit through the same test, and collate the results. That would give us a method of comparing scanner A to scanner B.
User avatar
Jason Warren
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 4217
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:21 am
16
Full Name: Jason Warren
Company Details: Laser Scanning Forum Ltd
Company Position Title: Co-Founder
Country: UK
Skype Name: jason_warren
Linkedin Profile: No
Location: Retford, UK
Has thanked: 439 times
Been thanked: 241 times
Contact:

Re: new potential scanner comparison process

Post by Jason Warren »

Image

Sounds interesting... what comparison information would you like to see?
Jason Warren
Co_Founder

Dedicated to 3D Laser Scanning
LaserScanningForum
Oatfedgoat
Honorary Member
Honorary Member
Posts: 1047
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:31 pm
15
Full Name: Matthew McCarter
Company Details: Costain
Company Position Title: BIM Manager
Country: England
Linkedin Profile: Yes
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 4 times

Re: new potential scanner comparison process

Post by Oatfedgoat »

Good in theory, but in reality other factors influence buyers decisions than just quality of scan data from one location.
Quality of data is certainly an important part of a scanner, but here are just a few other things that come to mind quickly.
As others have said, you might get 1 or 2 vendors to agree to an independent test but the results would soon be ignored by vendors due to it not looking at the whole solution, just one part of it.

-What is the field process required?
-B/W Targets
-Spheres
- Setup over Survey point
- ability to create new scanner location in the field from BS/FS observations
-How good is the registered point cloud?
-How good is onboard noise filtering?
-How good/appropriate is software based filtering?
-How well does the registration software integrate with my desired downstream workflows?
-Does the software add any additional value by creating other outputs when needed?
-Meshes, orthophotos etc
-How flexible are work flows?
- Can I choose multiple ways of working in the field?
Rikore
V.I.P Member
V.I.P Member
Posts: 353
Joined: Sun Aug 16, 2015 6:48 pm
8
Full Name: Bruce Yager
Company Details: Rikore Geomatics
Company Position Title: Department Head
Country: USA
Linkedin Profile: No
Been thanked: 7 times

Re: new potential scanner comparison process

Post by Rikore »

As a firm that heavily invests time in R & D, we have ran our scanners through many tests. I agree that the tests need to be done looking at all items, traverse functions, etc. Pricing needs to be included. Every scanner has its pros and cons, and more often than not, buyers look at price. Accuracy to me it a very big issue. If I run ten scans by traverse and know the beginning and ending coordinates, how accurate did the scanner do? Different types of projects need different types of approaches. I would suggest outdoor, indoor industrial and office, these types of scan projects. But for a true test comparing apples to apples, the same test facility for all scanners. Same computer to process. Scanners should be tested on the different scan resolutions.

I suggest a few of the forum readers get together and put a test together that we agree on that would best compare the scanners. Just a thought. This could give help to those looking at getting into scanning and even us veterans.
SAttaya
V.I.P Member
V.I.P Member
Posts: 401
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 4:04 pm
14
Full Name: SAttaya
Company Details: Sev1Tech
Company Position Title: Sr Software Analyst-RemoteSensingEngr
Country: USA
Linkedin Profile: No
Has thanked: 127 times
Been thanked: 17 times

Re: new potential scanner comparison process

Post by SAttaya »

Rikore wrote:... Same computer to process. ...
For this to have any long term value,
same computer to process
can not be a condition.
No guarantee that the exact computer system will be available.

The exact specific configuration of the computer used to process the data is necessary:
* mfg (or "built from compnents)
* CPU(s) (very specific - Intel Xeon E5-1680 V4, maybe configuration (forced use of 1(or2) 4.0 cores)
* memory (amount and speed)
* data disk (manufacturer and model, (all SSDs are not equal, right?), RAID status, etc)
* graphics (intel onboard (ugh), Nvidia M4000, M4000M, GTX 1080, (ie, gamer .vs. "professional")
* whatever I forgot
Rikore
V.I.P Member
V.I.P Member
Posts: 353
Joined: Sun Aug 16, 2015 6:48 pm
8
Full Name: Bruce Yager
Company Details: Rikore Geomatics
Company Position Title: Department Head
Country: USA
Linkedin Profile: No
Been thanked: 7 times

Re: new potential scanner comparison process

Post by Rikore »

Steve,
I am thinking one central place and computer for the testing to be apples to apples. I don't think having different sites and conditions would give even results. I know this could be an involved process, but could be done. Just curious if others are interested in seeing such results.
Jamesrye
V.I.P Member
V.I.P Member
Posts: 642
Joined: Mon Aug 11, 2008 4:13 pm
15
Full Name: James Rye
Company Details: Merrett Survey Partnership
Company Position Title: Spatial Analyst
Has thanked: 28 times
Been thanked: 69 times

Re: new potential scanner comparison process

Post by Jamesrye »

I remember that back in the day, this document was influential in our decision making process.

http://archive.cyark.org/temp/hcuhambur ... al2007.pdf

I would love to see this document updated :D

To summarise, the document provided:

Accuracy tests of distance measurements in comparison to a reference plane
Accuracy tests of inclination compensation
Influence of the laser beams angle of incidence on 3D accuracy
Investigations into scanning noise
Investigations into the influence of object colour
User avatar
Jason Warren
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 4217
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:21 am
16
Full Name: Jason Warren
Company Details: Laser Scanning Forum Ltd
Company Position Title: Co-Founder
Country: UK
Skype Name: jason_warren
Linkedin Profile: No
Location: Retford, UK
Has thanked: 439 times
Been thanked: 241 times
Contact:

Re: new potential scanner comparison process

Post by Jason Warren »

LSF has one of these if it helps... ;)

Image

Related PDF Doc
http://hds.leica-geosystems.com/hds/en/ ... _Paper.pdf
Jason Warren
Co_Founder

Dedicated to 3D Laser Scanning
LaserScanningForum
Post Reply

Return to “Product Comparison”