Abstract
Optics usually refers to the behavior of visible, infrared, or ultraviolet light. In mathematics, triangulation, is based on the relations of the angles and sides of a triangle. This project is using both of these concepts for distance estimation. Understanding those basic and fundamental concepts will ensure a feasible method to create a laser-based 3D triangulation system. Essentially in laser based optical triangulation systems, a narrow array of light will be projected into an object, thus generating a line of illumination, which is distorted from the observation perspective of the projector. The distortion will be analyzed to derive information of the dimensions of the objects under examination. Researching the triangulation literature has proven that there are several different ways of achieving the desired outcomes. Based on test data, covered later on this this report, the current implementation can measure objects from 4 inches to 88 inches away. This is limited by both the laser that is used, as well as the initial measurement methodology.