Abstract
The EchoScope Real Time 3D sonar generates instantaneous 3D images. Every 3D data set is the result of a single acoustic transmitter pulse, hence movement of the sonar head does not distort the data. All data points based on the same transmitter pulse are consistent. An acoustic volume is insonified by the transmitter pulse and the echoes are detected by using a 2D array of 1600 hydrophones. Phase and amplitude are used for parallel generation of 4096 receiver beams (New version: 16384) and 2D lateral images are generated in range slices.
The resulting 3D data set contains intensity as well as 3D co-ordinates (x, y and z). These co-ordinates are automatically georeferenced through a GPS receiver and a heading sensor. The Echoscope is also equipped with a roll & pitch sensor.
