Measuring range using a triangulation sensor with variable geometry

The design and development of a novel range sensor are described. The sensor employs planar elliptical mirrors to allow dynamic reconfiguration of the triangulation geometry. This permits the acquisition of depth maps of a scene with varying levels of occlusion and depth resolution; combining these images allows a more complete scene description of complex objects and scenes. The precision of the sensor is modeled and compared with experimental measurements. Finally, the operation of the sensor is demonstrated with examples of scene data.