Seeing Around Corners Using Smartphone-Grade Lidar

(spectrum.ieee.org)

56 points | by marc__1 3 days ago

4 comments

  • mberlove 2 hours ago

    This specific finding is minor, but its implications are not IMHO. From the article it appears the researchers consider this a discovery in effect.

    If consumer hardware is already capable (in many settings) of reproducing what were formerly research-level and industry-grade techniques, it may be a transformation in more areas of technology than would be obvious. I am very curious to see if there will be further findings in this area.

    • momoschili 51 minutes ago

      This is a very natural progression of technologies that escape industry/defense to get into the consumer's hand.

      • libria 1 hour ago

        The military/LEO is probably already envisioning a Daredevil like helmet with augmented-reality lenses that overlay non-line-of-sight threats in real time.

        • deburo 34 minutes ago

          Didn't we already have a video of that? I don't remember the data sources used to generate the overlay, however. Was it multiple solders' helmets sharing their data, and/or perhaps even a drone from above?

      • aftbit 2 hours ago

        Smartphone grade lidar == FaceID ?

        • momoschili 50 minutes ago

          depends on what phone you have but LIDAR sensors are used for more than just faceID

        • ofrzeta 4 hours ago

          So this only works if you have walls opposite of this corner?

          • libria 3 hours ago

            It seems to require a lidar reflective object. Likely more generally, the effectiveness lowers the less objects there are to bounce and return signal.

            It could probably work with less accuracy/resolution against visible vehicles in the opposite lane, a hedgerow, postal box, pedestrian carrying a visible laptop and possibly synthesize all of these to improve its guess.

            • wongarsu 2 hours ago

              The video thumbnail implies bouncing off the ground, not a wall. Not sure how the geometry works out for that

            • cuechan 5 hours ago

              Why not just place a mirror at 45 degrees in the corner? That way you don't need the lidar but you can just look around the corner? It would also work better with the lidar.