• Journal of Korean Society for Geospatial Information Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.87-95
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• 2008

Ladar (Laser Detection And Ranging, Lidar) is a sensor to acquire precise distances to the surfaces of target region using laser signals, which can be suitably applied to ATD (Automatic Target Detection) for guided missiles or aerial vehicles recently. It provides a range image in which each measured distance is expressed as the brightness of the corresponding pixel. Since the precise 3D models can be generated from the Ladar range image, more robust identification and recognition of the targets can be possible. If we simulate the data of Ladar sensor, we can efficiently use this simulator to design and develop Ladar sensors and systems and to develop the data processing algorithm. The purposes of this study are thus to simulate the signals of a Ladar sensor based on linear frequency modulation and to create range images from the simulated Ladar signals. We first simulated the laser signals of a Ladar using FM chirp modulator and then computed the distances from the sensor to a target using the FFT process of the simulated signals. Finally, we created the range image using the distances set.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.415-423
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• 2016

A TOF type LADAR is utilized for unmanned systems(UGV, UAV, USV, etc.), precision digital elevation maps, and electronic fences. Electronical and optical signal processing techniques are melted in LADAR sensor systems. In this study important factors are examined for high reliability sensor development. By considering those factors, hardwares and softwares of a test LADAR is developed and tested, We report the practical design tips, test results, and future works for better LADAR system development.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.687-698
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• 2012

LADAR systems can rapidly acquire 3D point clouds by sampling the target surfaces using laser pulses. Such point clouds are widely used for diverse applications such as DSM/DTM generation, forest biomass estimation, target detection, wire avoidance and so on. Many kinds of LADAR systems have been developed with their respective purposes and applications. Particularly, Geiger mode imaging LADAR systems are increasingly utilized since they are energy efficient thank to extremely sensitive detectors incorporated into the systems. The purpose of this research is the performance assessment of a Geiger mode imaging LADAR system based on simulation with the real system parameters. We thus developed a simulation method of such a LADAR system by modeling its geometric, radiometric, optic and electronic aspects. Based on the simulation, we performed the performance assessment of a newly designed system to derive the outlier ratio and false alarm rate expected during its operation in almost real environment with reasonable system parameters. The proposed simulation and performance assessment method will be effectively utilized for system design and optimization, and test data generation.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.733-742
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• 2017

LADARs are used for important sensors in various applications, for example, terrain information sensors in self driving cars, safety sensors for factory automation, and 3D map constructions. This study develop important component technologies to improve the performance of a LADAR system under development in Korea. The component technologies include diode temperature regulation, reducing distance error in outdoor environment, and signal processing technique for better detection of distant objects. This paper explains the suggested component technologies and experimental results of the developed LADAR system. Also, the developed system is operated and tested an a single axis driving platform to acquire 3D information from 2D LADAR.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2013

In this paper, we propose a CUDA(Common Unified Device Architecture) based SW(software) design method for CPU(Central Processing Unit) and GPU(Graphic Processing Unit) parallel structure to implement real-time process in 3D Laser ladar(LADAR) imaging system. LADAR is a complex system to generate 3-dimensional image based on the laser ranging information, and requires massive process resources in each phase. Therefore, designing and implementing parallel structure are crucial to realize a real-time process within limited system resource. As a conclusion, we can meet the speed of required real-time process allocating separable work load to CUDA GPU by analyzing process algorithm in each phase and confirm the process speed increase by 46%.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2017.05a
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• pp.387-390
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• 2017

With the advent of high-resolution sensors in the embedded field, the demand for heterogeneous computing continues to increase. Logic Module is an embedded system for controlling LADAR system components and for real-time 3D imaging of laser radar image data. In this paper, we discuss the design of Logic Module and the signal processing using CPU-GPU heterogeneous computing.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.467-474
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• 2019

Recently, optical phased array(OPA) based laser detection and ranging(LADAR) has gained great interest to replace the traditional mechanical light detection and ranging technique(LiDAR). In OPA-based LADAR, it is well known that phases of laser pulses traveling through each of channels should be the same to obtain a narrow free-space single beam without noise-like ripples in the far field. However, it is difficult to provide such ideal condition due to the fabrication errors. To tackle this problem, any algorithms should be necessary to compensate the initial random phases of each channel in OPA antenna. In this paper, we propose a hill-climbing based phase calibration algorithm and evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.8-15
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• 2019

We describe a common optical system that merges a LADAR system, which generates a point cloud, and a more traditional imaging system operating in the LWIR, which generates image data. The optimum diameter of the entrance pupil was determined by analysis of detection ranges of the LADAR sensor, and the result was applied to design a common optical system using LADAR sensors and LWIR sensors; the performance of these sensors was then evaluated. The minimum detectable signal of the $128{\times}128-pixel$ LADAR detector was calculated as 20.5 nW. The detection range of the LADAR optical system was calculated to be 1,000 m, and according to the results, the optimum diameter of the entrance pupil was determined to be 15.7 cm. The modulation transfer function (MTF) in relation to the diffraction limit of the designed common optical system was analyzed and, according to the results, the MTF of the LADAR optical system was 98.8% at the spatial frequency of 5 cycles per millimeter, while that of the LWIR optical system was 92.4% at the spatial frequency of 29 cycles per millimeter. The detection, recognition, and identification distances of the LWIR optical system were determined to be 5.12, 2.82, and 1.96 km, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.176-183
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• 2013

In this paper, we report the design, fabrication and characterization of the 3-Dimensional optical receiver for a Laser Detection And Ranging (LADAR) system. The optical receiver is composed of three parts; $16{\pm}16$ Geiger Mode InGaAs Avalanche Photodiode (APD) array device operated at 1560 nm wavelength, Read Out Integrated Circuit (ROIC) measuring the Time-Of-Flight (TOF) of the return signal reflected from target objects, a package and cooler maintaining the proper operational condition of the detector and control electronics. We can confirm that the LADAR system can detect the signal from a target up to 1.2 km away, and it showed low Dark Count Rate (DCR) of less than 140 kHz, and higher than 28%-Photon Detection Efficiency (PDE). This is considered to be the best performance of the $16{\pm}16$ FPA APD optical receiver for a LADAR system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute Of Construction Engineering and Management
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.909-914
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• 2007

Today's dynamic nature of the construction environment requires management systems to be active enough to take real-time decisions. For real-time decision making, effective 3D spatial information acquisition is imperative. Various 3D data acquisition technologies are being developed and tested for 3D spatial information acquisition and its use for wide range of areas in the construction industry, however, there are shortcomings in these technologies. The major problems are long processing time and high cost which make current technologies impossible to be used for real-time applications. Laser-based Flash LADAR that illuminates the entire scene with diffuse laser light is comparatively fast and cost effective, therefore it is well suited for 3D spatial modeling of dynamic environment on a construction site. This paper presents experimental results to evaluate the performance of flash LADAR and discuss issues of applicability of Flash LADAR to 3D spatial modeling on a construction site.