time-of-flight
adjective
: of, relating to, being, or done with an instrument (such as a mass spectrometer) that separates particles (such as ions) according to the time required for them to traverse a tube of a certain length
Examples of time-of-flight in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Obstacle Avoidance systems usually feature six vision sensors (two at the front, rear and bottom) and a downward infrared time-of-flight (ToF) sensor.
—
James Abbott, Space.com, 24 Feb. 2026
Not a Wheelchair—an EV EV1 combines two lidar units, two cameras, 10 time-of-flight depth sensors, and six ultrasonic sensors.
—IEEE Spectrum, 17 Feb. 2026
The breakthrough came with a time-of-flight camera, which allowed the flying umbrella to track and follow a user directly, even in the dark.
—New Atlas, 31 Jan. 2026
Their three robotic rovers, outfitted with an array of cutting-edge imagery gear including time-of-flight cameras, helped the team generate an atlas of 3D maps of the site - from its skylight to its inner passageways.
—Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
This is accompanied by the dual-lens configuration, which enables real-time depth perception without requiring structured light or time-of-flight sensors.
—Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2025
Then, researchers used an optical aerosol spectrometer and a proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer to measure the concentrations of two key indoor air pollutants: particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
—Sarah Garone, Health, 13 Dec. 2024
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James Abbott, Space.com, 24 Feb. 2026
Not a Wheelchair—an EV EV1 combines two lidar units, two cameras, 10 time-of-flight depth sensors, and six ultrasonic sensors.
—IEEE Spectrum, 17 Feb. 2026
The breakthrough came with a time-of-flight camera, which allowed the flying umbrella to track and follow a user directly, even in the dark.
—New Atlas, 31 Jan. 2026
Their three robotic rovers, outfitted with an array of cutting-edge imagery gear including time-of-flight cameras, helped the team generate an atlas of 3D maps of the site - from its skylight to its inner passageways.
—Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
This is accompanied by the dual-lens configuration, which enables real-time depth perception without requiring structured light or time-of-flight sensors.
—Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2025
Then, researchers used an optical aerosol spectrometer and a proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer to measure the concentrations of two key indoor air pollutants: particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
—Sarah Garone, Health, 13 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Time-of-flight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/time-of-flight. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
time-of-flight
adjective
: of, relating to, being, or done with an instrument (as a mass spectrometer) that separates particles (as ions) according to the time required for them to traverse a tube of a certain length
a time-of-flight imaging system
time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography
—abbreviation TOF
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