Device and method for mapping objects

A system for mapping a corneal surface of an eye, the system comprising:

• a light source generating first and second patterns of light and dark areas, the light source being positioned to project the patterns serially onto a corneal surface;
• a light detector positioned to receive reflections of the first and second patterns from the corneal surface;
• and
• mapping means for determining the shape of the corneal surface from the received reflections.

A method for mapping the surface of a transparent object, the method comprising the following steps:

• projecting a pattern of light and dark areas along a projection axis onto an anterior surface of a transparent object to create reflected light patterns of light and dark areas from the anterior surface and from a posterior surface along a detection axis;
• generating a reflected light pattern signal from the reflected light patterns;
• and
• determining the three-dimensional shape of the anterior and posterior surfaces from the reflected light pattern signal.

A method for mapping a corneal surface of an eye, the method comprising the following steps:

• projecting first and second patterns of light and dark areas serially along a projection axis onto a corneal surface to create first and second reflected light patterns of light and dark areas from the surface along a detection axis;
• generating a reflected light pattern signal from the reflected light patterns;
• and
• determining the three-dimensional shape of the corneal surface from the reflected light pattern signal.