ARBITRARY-GEOMETRY LASER SURFACE SCANNER

An optical non-contact surface scanning method and system is described. The three-dimensional coordinates of an illuminated profile or spot on the object are recorded and the surface is reconstructed using spatial location and orientation information derived from a spatial location system associated with the object, illumination means, and image recording means. The illumination and imaging means may be hand-held in a combined unit or in separate units. The scanning system allows complete free and arbitrary movement of the object and all components of the scanning during scanning this allowing scanning of substantially all of the surface which may be visible at various locations and orientations around the object. The optical non-contact scanning system may find particular application in medical imaging of the human body or parts thereof. It may further find application in industrial processes whereby the passage of arbitrarily shaped objects are monitored through a production line or similar situations.