Analyzing LiDAR Accuracy: Effects of Color and Lighting Conditions
Start Date
7-8-2026 11:30 AM
End Date
7-8-2026 11:45 AM
Location
ALT 206
Abstract
LiDAR is widely used in self-driving vehicles, robotics, surveying, and mapping applications. It operates by emitting pulses of light that reflect off objects and measuring the time required for the reflected signal to return, allowing the sensor to determine the object’s distance. This study investigates how object color and environmental lighting conditions affect the accuracy of LiDAR measurements. Measurements were collected for multiple colored objects at varying distances under both daytime and nighttime conditions. Accuracy was evaluated by analyzing the error with respect to the true distance, expressed as an error rate. The results indicate that object color has a significant impact on measurement accuracy, with certain colors producing consistently higher error rates than others. Additionally, a clear difference was observed between lighting conditions, with nighttime measurements demonstrating greater accuracy than those taken during the day. These findings suggest that external factors such as surface color and ambient lighting can meaningfully influence LiDAR performance, highlighting the importance of accounting for these variables in applications such as autonomous vehicles, mapping, and surveying.
Analyzing LiDAR Accuracy: Effects of Color and Lighting Conditions
ALT 206
LiDAR is widely used in self-driving vehicles, robotics, surveying, and mapping applications. It operates by emitting pulses of light that reflect off objects and measuring the time required for the reflected signal to return, allowing the sensor to determine the object’s distance. This study investigates how object color and environmental lighting conditions affect the accuracy of LiDAR measurements. Measurements were collected for multiple colored objects at varying distances under both daytime and nighttime conditions. Accuracy was evaluated by analyzing the error with respect to the true distance, expressed as an error rate. The results indicate that object color has a significant impact on measurement accuracy, with certain colors producing consistently higher error rates than others. Additionally, a clear difference was observed between lighting conditions, with nighttime measurements demonstrating greater accuracy than those taken during the day. These findings suggest that external factors such as surface color and ambient lighting can meaningfully influence LiDAR performance, highlighting the importance of accounting for these variables in applications such as autonomous vehicles, mapping, and surveying.
