Scanere

Scanere is a term used in discussions of data-gathering technologies to describe a family of scanning systems that generate spatial representations by integrating data from multiple sensing modalities. In practice, a scanere setup may combine optical imaging (visible or infrared), range finding such as lidar or time-of-flight, and sometimes acoustic or electromagnetic sensing to produce a unified 3D model. The aim is to achieve high fidelity, rapid acquisition, and robustness to occlusions or challenging surface properties.

Etymology and usage of the term scanere are not standardized. It appears mainly in speculative literature, maker communities, and some niche technical discussions rather than as a formal term within mainstream engineering disciplines. As a result, definitions and implementations can vary between projects, with some authors emphasizing multi-sensor fusion and others focusing on real-time data processing.

Technology and methods commonly associated with scanere include multi-sensor fusion, structured light, photogrammetry, and noncontact sensing. Data from different modalities are registered and merged to produce dense point clouds, meshes, or volumetric representations. This approach can improve coverage of complex geometries and provide useful redundancy for error reduction.

Applications of scanere concepts span architecture and cultural heritage documentation, industrial inspection, robotics, and the creation of digital twins. Limitations include higher cost and calibration complexity, substantial data processing requirements, and concerns about privacy and data security when used in public or semi-public environments. Related concepts include lidar, structured-light scanning, and photogrammetry.