If you have read about itname cars, you may know that LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors play a huge role in self-driving vehicles. The job of a LiDAR sensor is to "map" an area by measuring the distances of objects through reflected radiation.
Apple has added the sensor to the news iphone 12 Pro and Pro Max aimed at improving photos. This is not the first time the company has used the LiDAR sensor in its products. In March 2020, the company from Cupertino included the sensor in its new iPad. However, the primary purpose of the sensor in this device was to assist augmented reality.
In the new iPhone, Apple claims to help with three things: photo and video effects, precise placement of AR objects, and scanning objects and rooms.
The two τελευταίες εφαρμογές της λειτουργίας LiDAR αφορούν σε μεγάλο βαθμό τους προγραμματιστές που θέλουν να αναπτύξουν apps eg for mapping a room. For an average consumer, the feature can be used to add effects to photos and videos.
Because LiDAR can work in the dark with a laser to calculate distances, Apple is using it to improve it automatic focus on the latest iPhones. The company claims that due to the sensor ta phones iPhone 12 Pro will have 6x faster autofocus in low light compared to a regular camera. In addition, the LiDAR sensor allows the device to take better pictures in a vertical position even in low light conditions.
Η ιδέα της χρήσης ενός αισθητήρα βάθους δεν είναι καινούργια. Πολλά phones χαμηλότερης τιμής, όπως το OnePlus Nord, χρησιμοποιούν κάμερα αισθητήρα βάθους για να βελτιώσουν τις φωτογραφίες σε λειτουργία πορτρέτου. Αλλά αυτοί οι αισθητήρες λειτουργούν καλύτερα στο light της ημέρας από ότι σε χαμηλό φωτισμό. Ορισμένες συσκευές όπως η Huawei P30 Pro και η Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra διαθέτουν αισθητήρα time-of-flight (ToF). It uses infrared rays to map the environment.
Both ToF and LiDAR can scan an area in just a few meters, while some variants of LiDAR can measure distances of more than 100 meters. However, they are mainly used in cars. The advantage of having a LiDAR sensor is that it sends smaller pulses from one corner to the other to "scan" the area. On the other hand, the ToF sensor sends a single flash pulse to measure the area and this can cause more inaccuracies in the distances.