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2 Introduction
2.1 The Void Scanner
The Void Scanner is a ruggedised field instrument designed to produce fast, efficient 3D laser scans of underground
voids where access is limited, dangerous or prohibited. The instrument can be mounted on booms, tripods or user-
customised deployment devices. The small, lightweight size of the Void Scanner gives flexibility in the nature of the
deployment and means that volumes and dimensions which have previously been guessed or estimated can be
accurately quantified.
The Void Scanner’s laser employs the ‘time of flight’ technique to measure ranges to rock faces and other objects
without the need to place reflectors on the target. This allows measurements to be taken from a safe distance. Two
hundred such measurements are made every second, up to a range of 150 m.
Data from the internal pitch and roll sensors are collected in addition to the scan data. This means that all points
collected can be accurately geo-referenced and multiple scans can be stitched together. The output data can then
be plotted against design drawings or as-built data to help build an invaluable picture of the project site.
The Void Scanner is controlled remotely from a PC or handheld device running
Cavity Profiler – VS
software which
plots the data on-screen in real time.
Cavity Profiler – VS
allows the finished scan to be analysed, edited,
transformed, combined with other datasets and exported to third-party software.
The Void Scanner is just one of many laser systems that have been designed by Carlson. Other products such as
the C-ALS (Cavity Auto-scanning Laser System), Quarryman and Boretrak have all been proved over many years
of demanding use around the world. These products complement the Void Scanner and provide a wide range of
advanced measurement solutions within the mining, quarrying and geotechnical industries.
Figure 1 Void Scanner unit
