A model navigator based on laser

Abstract

The article gives a description of a measuring device to determine the position of a ship model in a basin. The position is determined by two light-beams, projected from a laser, the beams being automatically orientated to the model. The direction of the light -beams is controlled by servo-motor driven mirrors, a circular row of triple mirrors installed in the model reflects the light-beams to fotocells. The output voltages of these cells control the servo-systems. The position of the model is obtained in the form of two angles, these angles are transformed, by means of resolvers and electronic analogue dividers, into the co-ordinates of a Cartesian-system. The light-beams are vertically diverged by means of cylinderlenses, in order to permit vertical motions of the model. The accuracy of the whole system is some centimetres in a basin of $40\times 60$ metres. These systems may be built for an area of at least $1000\times 1000$ metres. Similar systems may be developed for recording vertical positions.