Method and apparatus for three-dimensional non-contact shape sensing

A method for determining and mapping the location of surface points on an object in relation to a mounting structure, comprising the steps of:

• defining a three-dimensional coordinate system in fixed relation to said mounting structure;
• positioning said object in a fixed, spatial relation to said mounting structure;
• projecting a scanning beam from a beam projector mounted in a hand-holdable and freely moveable scanning device that is not connected mechanically or structurally to either said mounting structure or the object, and moving the scanning device by hand in relation to said object in such a manner as to illuminate a plurality of spots on the surface of the object;
• detecting the positions of the respective illuminated spots on the surface of the object in relation to the respective positions of the scanning device when each respective spot is illuminated;
• projecting a plurality of pilot light rays from a plurality of pilot light sources positioned in fixed spatial relation to each other on said scanning device simultaneously with the steps of projecting said scanning beam and detecting the positions of the illuminated spots;
• detecting the plurality of pilot rays with a plurality of detectors mounted on said mounting structure in fixed relation to said coordinate system and in fixed, spaced apart relation to each other simultaneously with the step of detecting the positions of said illuminated spots on said object in relation to said scanning device to determine the positions of the plurality of pilot light sources and the scanning device in relation to the coordinate system;
• and
• computing the positions of the illuminated spots on the surface of the object in relation to the coordinate system by correlating the positions of said illuminated spots in relation to the scanning device with the positions of the scanning device in relation to said coordinate system.