LIDAR-Lite: Anybody need a tiny, simple, low-power, 40-m range LIDAR module?

[PointyOintment]

I have no affiliation with the makers of this device. I've been following this campaign for a while and noticed it hadn't been posted here yet. Here's the campaign. It's currently fully funded, but if they get $75,000 they will upgrade from an LED to a laser diode, which is supposed to make the beam narrower and reduce the size and weight of the optics necessary.

Specs:

• Rated range: 40 meters with lenses, 5 meters without
• Measurement frequency: 1–100 Hz (frequencies over 10 Hz decrease range gradually, to ~50% rated range at 100 Hz)
• Beam spread: 1.5° with lenses, 6° without
• Range accuracy: 5%
• Supply voltage: 5 V
• Current consumption: <100 mA
• Interface: I²C @ 3.3 V, multiple units on one bus supported
• Dimensions: 51 × 30 × 39 mm with lenses, 41 × 17 × [?] mm without
• Price: $79 USD for one, $145 USD for two, or $600 USD for ten (all come with lenses)

Here's the full preliminary spec sheet. Does anybody know what the rows "Max Range @ 1Hz 30% target" and "Max Range @ 1Hz 90% target" on the second page mean?

This would obviously be useful in robotics, but I can imagine lots of other areas where this kind of sensor could be useful, e.g. assistive technology, adaptive cruise control, home automation, etc.
Post ideas for applications if you want 

[Jarrod Roberson]

I funded this and can't wait to get it and see if it works for my proof of concept project. It does everything I need and nothing I don't. Actually I don't need the laser feature, the LED will be just fine for what I want to use it for, and the lower the power the better in my case.

[steve_w]

This use of a waveform for signal processing is a standard radar technique called chirping (see http://www.scitechpublishing.com/stimson_9781613530221.htm).

I believe the frequency referred to is the rate at which pulse of light is transmitted to the target called Pulse Repetition Frequency PRF in radar circles.  the % tgt refers to the relative size of the target with respect to the field of view of the transmitting and receiving leds .

what its saying is that the PRF affects the range accuracy and the size of the target affects the strength of return or max range.

but I could be wrong


regards

Steve W