NYU Releases the Largest LiDAR Dataset to Help Urban Development
【Summary】New York University has recently revealed the densest public LiDAR data set ever, completed by its Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP).

New York University has recently revealed the densest public LiDAR data set ever, completed by its Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP). The data set is 30 times as dense as a typical data set at a resolution of around 300 points per square meter, the laser scanned data was collected on a 1.5km square region of Dublin's city center, using aerial LiDAR instruments.
The project was done by Professor Debra F. Laefer and her research team, under a $1.7 million research grant named "Rethinking Tunneling in Urban Neighborhoods (RETURN)". It builds on a previous dataset and more than ten years of research.
"A city-scale dataset of this level can be applied to many projects to improve services," said Laefer in a public statement. "This extraordinary level of data quality...will help pioneer new possibilities for visualisation and analyses by urban engineers, civic agencies, and entrepreneurs trying to identify and ultimately solve urban challenges of all kinds." she said.
Check the video of the city mapping below:
The dataset includes a bird-view of the distribution and roofs of city constructions, as well as information about their vertical surfaces.
With its high imaging quality, the detailed data can be used to build 3D models of the urban landscape with details on buildings measurements, trees, powerlines and poles and even curb height, CUSP says.
The data and affiliated information is now publicly available through NYU's Spatial Data Repository, for both personal and commercial use. Open access to the high-quality data can be valuable to researchers who work on city planning and development, as well as engineers who need to develop automotive vehicles, drone fleet operation, or even scientists who need to track infectious disease transmission.
CUSP is hoping to expand the project to other cities, and currently discussions are underway to scan New York City in a similar LiDAR imaging project.
-
July 13th, 2017 News of the Day: Uber merges with Yandex, U.S. to simplify driverless car rules
-
Hyperloop One Completes Its First Successful Test Run
-
July 12th, 2017 News of the Day: Faraday to move its factory, Vizio files lawsuit against LeEco
-
July 11th, 2017 News of the Day: Tesla to triple its service, Porsche posts half-year sales record
-
Faraday Future Halts Construction of $1 billion Factory in Nevada
-
July 10th, 2017 News of the Day: China to become Cadillac’s largest market, Oregon adds EV rebate
-
July 7th, 2017 News of the Day: VW partners with Kuka, Tesla to build battery factory in Australia
-
July 6th, 2017 News of the Day: Toyota opens HQ in Texas, France could end fossil fuel cars by 2040
- Volkswagen Shows Off its Autonomous EV Charging Robot Concept
- Tesla Co-founder Plans to Be the World's Top Battery Recycler With New Venture
- 2022 Ford E-Transit Arrives With 126 Miles of Range
- Volkswagen Breaks Ground on its EV Battery Engineering Lab in Tennessee
- Newly Formed Auto Group 'Stellantis' Debuts on European Stock Markets, Shares Rise Nearly 8%
- A Closer Look at Tesla's New 4680 Cell Battery Pack
- The Tesla Model 3 Will Now Share More Components with the Model Y Crossover
- Hyundai Plans to Offer 10 Electrified Vehicles by 2022
- Rivian R1S, R1T Electric Vehicles Coming June 2021 With a $75,000 Price Tag
- Don’t Hold Your Breath for a Six-Figure EV From Ford