Topcon’s IP-S2 Lite creates panoramic maps in 3D, spots every bump inside the road (video)

You’d need just a smartphone app to pinpoint every pothole to your block, but to map out more severe structural damage, you’d probably need more sophisticated equipment — that’s where Topcon’s IP-S2 Lite is available in. Unveiled ultimately week’s 3D & Virtual Reality Expo in Tokyo, this road condition evaluation system is constructed from a 360-degree camera, GPS and an inclinometer. After using its camera to capture images at 16 frames per second, the IP-S2 analyzes the properties of each shot and uses this knowledge to create 3D video footage. The contraption may additionally measure the peak, distance and surface area of any given frame, allowing engineers to insert computer-generated images into the video (as pictured above) and to build more accurate maps of disaster-stricken regions. Within the wake of this year’s devastating earthquake, for instance, Japan’s Geospatial Information Authority used this technology to map coastal areas of the Miyagi Prefecture, giving officials and rescue workers a greater idea of the wear and tear inflicted upon the region. You’ll find out more concerning the IP-S2 inside the video after the break.

[Thanks, Don]