lidar

noun

li·​dar ˈlī-ˌdär How to pronounce lidar (audio)
: a device that is similar in operation to radar but emits pulsed laser light instead of microwaves

Examples of lidar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Volvo is one of the few automakers to include lidar, calling it an essential ingredient in its quest to completely eliminate traffic fatalities. Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 11 May 2023 The Waymo One ride service works much like Uber or Lyft, except the vehicles are uniform and guided by radar, lidar, cameras and the company's technology. Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 27 Apr. 2023 Cruise attributed the accident to a faulty model that had guessed where the back of the bus would be based on the dimensions of a normal bus; additionally, the model rejected the lidar data that correctly detected the bus. IEEE Spectrum, 30 July 2023 Using stereo cameras and lidar, the robot can create a 3D map of its surroundings to understand its environment before navigating through it. Alex Chun, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 May 2023 Green and others talked about surveying the area using lidar, a technology that creates precise elevation maps that can reveal hints of old or buried structures. Matthew Hutson, The New Yorker, 21 July 2023 The puck, which will reportedly feature a battery, 5G modem, and a touchpad, will no longer come with a lidar sensor as originally planned. Emma Roth, The Verge, 19 July 2023 These computers will receive command-and-control data from ground-control stations and from optical, infrared, and light detection and ranging (lidar) sensors on the aircraft. Kamesh Namuduri, IEEE Spectrum, 8 July 2023 Companies developing self-driving also typically use sophisticated lidar and radar systems which help the software map out their surroundings in detail. Faiz Siddiqui, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lidar.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

light + radar

First Known Use

1963, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lidar was in 1963

Dictionary Entries Near lidar

Cite this Entry

“Lidar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lidar. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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