LiDar! What is it?

 In some of my previous blogs ( iPad and iPhone blog), you might have come across this word \”LiDAR\”, which I would mention in short as \’ improves AR experience\’. But what it really is and how it works?  Let\’s find out:

Image Courtesy: Apple

LiDAR\’s abbreviated as Light Detection And Ranging. As the name suggests, it helps in measuring distances. How does it do that? It is simple. It first emits pulsed lasers and then receives the refection through a sensor. Depending upon the time taken for the light to reflect back, it calculates the distance. But wait, how does this help in AR?

Image Courtesy: GIS Lounge

AR is basically measuring distances and understanding surfaces. Like, if you want to place an \”Artificial Lion\” on your desk, it calculates the dimensions of the desk, understands the surface and then places the \”Artificial Lion\” accordingly. LiDAR sensors on the recent iPhone and the iPad Pro can also study the dimensions of a room and give you a top view (plan) of the room, which may play an important role in organization. 

Image Courtesy: Wired

And not just this, LiDAR in smartphones and tablets as in the iPhone and the iPad help in capturing better Portrait image,  by improving the  accuracy in background bokeh. This too happens through the same principal. It identifies the subject by the difference in distance, where the subject is closer and the rest of the surrounding being far away. 

LiDAR was first time used in the iPad when it comes to gadgets. But then, the iPad wasn\’t using the LiDAR for better portraits, but just used it for improved AR. However, Apple\’s second time implementation of the LiDAR which is on the iPhone 12 Pro, harnesses the total potential of a LiDAR on smartphones. 

Fun Fact: NASA is using LiDAR technology for its next Mars landing

This was it about LiDAR, a short one.  Hope you liked it 🙂

#iPad #iPhone