Systematic investigation of properties of PMD-sensors

New 3D-cameras based on photonic mixer devices (PMD) offer vast possibilities in fields such as robotics, mobile systems and security. Their compactness, ease of use, high frame rate and competitive price are key advantages over existing sensors. In order to quantity the properties of these sensors, systematic investigations have been carried out. The experiments include the variation of surfaces (paper, metal, wood, ceramics, textiles etc.), measuring distance and angular orientation towards the camera. Thus, the decision on the applicability of sensors is facilitated. Moreover, this characterization offers the opportunity to benchmark sensors form different manufacturers.