LIDAR Technology

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LiDAR

Lidar (/ˈlaɪdɑːr/, also LIDAR, LiDAR, and LADAR) stands for Light Detecting and Ranging, is a method for mapping or measuring distances (ranging) by illuminating the target with laser light and measuring the reflection with a sensor. Differences in laser return times and wavelengths can then be used to make high resolution digital 3-D representations of the target. It has terrestrial, airborne, and mobile applications.

The technology is already in use in adaptive cruise control systems (ACC) where it is mounted on the front of the bumper and is used to monitor the car in the front and itself. It helps the car to slow down based on the distance by independently applying brake and when the road conditions opens up then accelerates the car to a preset speed set by the driver.

Autonomous vehicles have roof mounted LiDAR sensors that functions a bit differently like a satellite installation on an airfield.

It is like a low spinning dish gathering information and providing the feedback to the vehicle. While the Low resolution imagery feedback may be good for long distance stationary objects, in a moving vehicle a much higher resolution imagery at a much closer range is necessary for vehicle to react almost instantaneously. 

This piece of technology helps the vehicle control the steering, power delivery and braking automatically by allowing the vehicle to sense the environment automatically. What is crucial is how the vehicle interprets the image it maps and the decision it takes thereafter. The processing time is going to be one of the most important thing in this technology.

LiDAR technology is applied not just in autonomous vehicle but also has its industrial applications.commonly used to make high-resolution maps, with applications in surveying, geodesy, geomatics, archaeology, geography, geology, geomorphology, seismology, forestry, atmospheric physics,[6] laser guidance, airborne laser swath mapping (ALSM), and laser altimetry

There are many major companies manufacturing these some of them are as below.

Hexagon AB
Velodyne Lidar Inc.
Sick AG
Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc.
Trimble Inc.
RIEGL Laser Measurement Systems GmbH
Teledyne Optech
Leosphere
Waymo LLC
Valeo S.A.
Continental AG

This technology is also used in conjunction with other sensors to get a complete picture of the surrounding environment for the autonomous cars. 

Would like to understand if these technologies have any negative consequence or impact on human health and brain and would appreciate your comments.