Laser Pointers

Laser based system is up to now unique in that it can give directly precise measurements of displacement of a structure, while accelerometers can only give accelerations on time, and, after a FFT post processing, the modal frequencies of structures.

Using a baseline structural resting position, or, better to say, several reference points and many systems opportunely installed on the bridge under examination, it is possible to acquire measurements that can give structural engineers a precise understanding of the instant deformation: that is impossible using accelerometers only.

Two main components

The LDR is comprised of two main components: the Laser Pointer (LP) and the Active Target (AT) device. The LP, installed on a reference point, produces a laser beam which projects a spot onto a special screen in the AT device.

The AT device is equipped with a digital video camera, that works with a microprocessor board, and proprietary firmware, in order to calculate the movements of the spot. This board connects directly to the internet with a M2M Sim or an external available wi-fi, thereby enabling it to transmit data and to receive commands from a remote computer.