The Development and Application of a High-Resolution Underwater Laser Scanning System for 3D Structural Recording

Summary

In 2010, Parks Canada’s Underwater Archaeology Service approached 2G Robotics of Waterloo, Ontario, to explore the feasibility of developing an underwater laser scanning system capable of producing very-high resolution 3D site maps of large-scale underwater structures. Building on the proven imaging capabilities of their existing close-up laser scanning technologies, 2G designed and manufactured a new longer range system to Parks Canada’s specific operational requirements. With an effective range >5 m, the ULS-500 can produce extremely accurate point cloud models of complex structures and uneven textured surfaces. The resulting data sets provide millimetric point precision and at 96,000 points/second, a level of detail that far surpasses comparable acoustic imaging technologies. A recent survey in Fathom Five National Marine Park gave opportunity to demonstrate the unique capabilities of the ULS-500 prototype (with the technology now in commercial production). With the technical assistance of Jason Gillham of 2G Robotics, the Underwater Archaeology Service completed several imaging scans of the wreck of the Alice G., a wreck well known to the local sport diving community.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2014   •
• What’s in the Toolbox? A Critical Look at Remote Sensing and Recording Systems Used for Underwater Archaeology

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): SYM-56,02