- Structured light laser scans excel at scanning fine surfaces at great depth, such as human skin.
- They use a camera to record the deformation of a line or pattern of light.
- This makes them fast and accurate since the motion of the scanner is reduced or eliminated.
Author Jimmy Drago points out in this article that structured light laser scanners are the preferred hardware for scanning a fine surface at a great depth. The skin care industry being an example of where these scanners provide the optimal solution.
A structured light scanner produces a pattern of lines, usually stripes, which are projected onto the subject. A camera is then used to record the deformation of each point of light in the pattern. Then, using a technique similar to triangulation, the surface in question can be derived.
The primary advantage of structured light scanners is speed of data capture, since they are recording multiple points at the same time. This reduces or eliminates distortion from scanner motion. Some systems are capable of scanning moving objects in real time.
