A Laser Scanner And Void Visualizer For Use In A Search And Rescue Environment

Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) environments present many risks to emergency first responders. Technologies that can allow people to explore dangerous locations in great detail while being physically separate from them are of great value. This thesis provides an intuitive 3D viewing application called Voidviz for just that purpose, with features specifically designed for USAR and bomb identification. It is tested using 3D data gathered by two devices: a computerized theodolite, and a custom built laser scanner. The theodolite was found to be impractical for scanning dangerous locations due to its low resolution and slow speed, but the custom laser scanner was able to gather high resolution data at a useful speed. This thesis shows that useful data can be derived from sufficiently detailed simulations of voids within building collapses and unexploded explosive devices. This data can be used to increase the situational awareness of first responders.