3D geological modelling using laser and hyperspectral data

Abstract

This paper presents a ground based system for mapping the geology and the geometry of the environment remotely. The main objective of this work is to develop a framework for a mobile robotic platform that can build 3D geological maps. We investigate classification and registration algorithms that can work without any manual intervention. The system capabilities are demonstrated with data acquired from a working mine environment. Geological maps are built by applying classification techniques to hyperspectral images of the rocks' surface. The result from the classification is then fused with laser images to form the 3D geological models of the environment.