LiDAR data can be collected from a variety of sources: UAV drones (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), self-driving cars, geological survey tools and more.

It can be used in a variety of scenarios: anything from defence/tactical operations to geological survey such as energy/mining, geospatial analysis, civil engineering,constructions and more.

The LiDAR PointCloud 3D Demo showcases rendering of LiDAR composite data of Central London as a 3D point Cloud chart using SciChart. The 3D Point Cloud chart is defined by XyzDataSeries3D and the ScatterRenderableSeries3D. A texture is drawn at each individual point to allow a high-performance solution allowing many points.

More info about creation of this demo, the data source and availability on other platforms can be found in the blog article.

// Lidar3DPointCloudDemoView.xaml

<UserControl x:Class="SciChart.Examples.Examples.SeeFeaturedApplication.Lidar3DPointCloudDemo.Lidar3DPointCloudDemoView"
             xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
             xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
             xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
             xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
             xmlns:s3D="http://schemas.abtsoftware.co.uk/scichart3D"
             xmlns:s="http://schemas.abtsoftware.co.uk/scichart"
             xmlns:chartData="clr-namespace:SciChart.Charting3D.Model.ChartData;assembly=SciChart.Charting3D"
             mc:Ignorable="d"
             d:DesignHeight="450" d:DesignWidth="800">
    <Grid>
        <Grid.Resources>
            <LinearGradientBrush x:Key="ColorMap" StartPoint="0,0" EndPoint="0,1">
                <GradientStop Offset="0" Color="DodgerBlue"/>
                <GradientStop Offset="0.2" Color="LimeGreen"/>
                <GradientStop Offset="0.5" Color="Orange"/>
                <GradientStop Offset="0.7" Color="OrangeRed"/>
                <GradientStop Offset="1.0" Color="Purple"/>
            </LinearGradientBrush>

            <BooleanToVisibilityConverter x:Key="BooleanToVisibilityConverter"/>

            <DataTemplate x:Key="LidarLegendItemTemplate" DataType="chartData:SeriesInfo3D">
                <Grid>
                    <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                        <ColumnDefinition Width="Auto" SharedSizeGroup="LegendItem1"/>
                        <ColumnDefinition Width="Auto" SharedSizeGroup="LegendItem2"/>
                        <ColumnDefinition Width="Auto" SharedSizeGroup="LegendItem3"/>
                        <ColumnDefinition Width="Auto" SharedSizeGroup="LegendItem4"/>
                    </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                    <CheckBox
                        Grid.Column="0"
                        Margin="5,0,0,0"
                        HorizontalAlignment="Left"
                        VerticalAlignment="Center"
                        Content="Visible?"
                        Foreground="White"
                        IsChecked="{Binding RenderableSeries.IsVisible, Mode=TwoWay}"
                        Visibility="{Binding LegendData.ShowVisibilityCheckboxes, RelativeSource={RelativeSource AncestorType=s:SciChartLegend}, Converter={StaticResource BooleanToVisibilityConverter}}" />

                    <s:PointMarker
                        Grid.Column="1"
                        Width="25"
                        Height="10"
                        Margin="10,0,0,0"
                        HorizontalAlignment="Center"
                        VerticalAlignment="Center"
                        HorizontalContentAlignment="Stretch"
                        VerticalContentAlignment="Stretch"
                        DataContext="{Binding RenderableSeries}"
                        DeferredContent="{Binding LegendMarkerTemplate}"
                        Visibility="{Binding ShowSeriesMarkers, RelativeSource={RelativeSource AncestorType=s:SciChartLegend}, Converter={StaticResource BooleanToVisibilityConverter}}" />

                    <TextBlock
                        Grid.Column="2"
                        Margin="10,0,10,0"
                        HorizontalAlignment="Left"
                        Text="{Binding SeriesName}" />

                    <!-- Opacity. Bound to SeriesInfo.RenderableSeries.Opacity -->
                    <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" Grid.Column="3">
                        <TextBlock Text="Opacity: " Foreground="White"/>
                        <Slider  Minimum="0.0" Maximum="1.0" MinWidth="100" DataContext="{Binding RenderableSeries}" Value="{Binding Path=Opacity, Mode=TwoWay}"/>
                    </StackPanel>
                </Grid>
            </DataTemplate>
        </Grid.Resources>

        <s3D:SciChart3DSurface x:Name="SciChart3DSurface" WorldDimensions="1000,200,1000">

            <s3D:SciChart3DSurface.Camera>
                <s3D:Camera3D FarClip="10000" Position="800,1000,800"/>
            </s3D:SciChart3DSurface.Camera>

            <s3D:SciChart3DSurface.RenderableSeries>

                <!-- Renders the point cloud -->
                <s3D:ScatterRenderableSeries3D x:Name="pointCloud" Opacity="1">
                    <s3D:ScatterRenderableSeries3D.PointMarker>
                        <!-- Apply a pixel pointmarker to render the point-cloud -->
                        <!-- other types include the Ellipse, Quad or Sphere pointmarker -->
                        <s3D:PixelPointMarker3D Fill="LimeGreen" Opacity="{Binding ElementName=pointCloud, Path=Opacity}"/>
                    </s3D:ScatterRenderableSeries3D.PointMarker>
                </s3D:ScatterRenderableSeries3D>

                <!-- Renders the contours and topography map -->
                <!-- Try different DrawMeshAs modes such as Contours, SolidMesh, SolidMeshWireframe etc -->
                <s3D:SurfaceMeshRenderableSeries3D x:Name="surfaceMesh" DrawMeshAs="SolidWithContours"
                                                   MeshPaletteMode="HeightMapInterpolated"
                                                   ContourStroke="Azure" ContourStrokeThickness="2" Minimum="0" Maximum="50"
                                                   Opacity="0.5">
                    <s3D:SurfaceMeshRenderableSeries3D.MeshColorPalette>
                        <s3D:BrushColorPalette Brush="{StaticResource ColorMap}"/>
                    </s3D:SurfaceMeshRenderableSeries3D.MeshColorPalette>
                </s3D:SurfaceMeshRenderableSeries3D>
            </s3D:SciChart3DSurface.RenderableSeries>

            <s3D:SciChart3DSurface.XAxis>
                <s3D:NumericAxis3D TextFormatting="0m" AxisTitle="X Distance (metres)" />
            </s3D:SciChart3DSurface.XAxis>
            <s3D:SciChart3DSurface.YAxis>
                <s3D:NumericAxis3D VisibleRange="0, 50" TextFormatting="0m" AxisTitle="Height (metres)" />
            </s3D:SciChart3DSurface.YAxis>
            <s3D:SciChart3DSurface.ZAxis>
                <s3D:NumericAxis3D TextFormatting="0m" AxisTitle="Y Distance (metres)" />
            </s3D:SciChart3DSurface.ZAxis>

            <!-- Enables interaction such as orbit, or movement on W-A-X-D key down -->
            <!-- Double click to reset zoom --> 
            <s3D:SciChart3DSurface.ChartModifier>
                <s3D:ModifierGroup3D>
                    <s3D:OrbitModifier3D/>
                    <s3D:FreeLookModifier3D ExecuteWhen="Ctrl" MovementSpeed="20"/>
                    <s3D:MouseWheelZoomModifier3D/>
                    <s3D:ZoomExtentsModifier3D ResetPosition="800,1000,800" ResetTarget="0,25,0" AnimateDurationMs="500"/>
                    <s3D:LegendModifier3D x:Name="LegendModifier3D" ShowLegend="False"/>
                </s3D:ModifierGroup3D>
            </s3D:SciChart3DSurface.ChartModifier>

        </s3D:SciChart3DSurface>

        <!-- Renders the series legend, bound to LegendModifier3D.LegendData -->
        <s:SciChartLegend LegendData="{Binding ElementName=LegendModifier3D, Path=LegendData}" Margin="25,50"
                          Orientation="Vertical" HorizontalAlignment="Left" VerticalAlignment="Top" ShowSeriesMarkers="True"
                          ShowVisibilityCheckboxes="True"
                          Grid.IsSharedSizeScope="True"
                          ItemTemplate="{StaticResource LidarLegendItemTemplate}">
        </s:SciChartLegend>

        <!-- Renders the Heightmap Legend --> 
        <s:HeatmapColorMap Margin="25, 50"
                           HorizontalAlignment="Right"
                           VerticalAlignment="Stretch"
                           Background="{Binding Source={x:Reference Name=SciChart3DSurface}, Path=Background}"
                           Foreground="{Binding Source={x:Reference Name=SciChart3DSurface}, Path=Foreground}"
                           ColorMap="{StaticResource ColorMap}"
                           Minimum="0"
                           Maximum="50"
                           TextFormatting="0m"
                           Opacity="0.8"
                           BorderBrush="#777"
                           BorderThickness="1"
                           Orientation="Vertical">
        </s:HeatmapColorMap>
    </Grid>
</UserControl>

// Lidar3DPointCloudDemoView.xaml.cs

// *************************************************************************************
// SCICHART® Copyright SciChart Ltd. 2011-2020. All rights reserved.
//  
// Web: http://www.scichart.com
//   Support: support@scichart.com
//   Sales:   sales@scichart.com
// 
// HistogramView.xaml.cs is part of the SCICHART® Examples. Permission is hereby granted
// to modify, create derivative works, distribute and publish any part of this source
// code whether for commercial, private or personal use. 
// 
// The SCICHART® examples are distributed in the hope that they will be useful, but
// without any warranty. It is provided "AS IS" without warranty of any kind, either
// expressed or implied. 
// *************************************************************************************
using System;
using System.Linq;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Controls;
using System.Windows.Media;
using SciChart.Charting3D.Extensions;
using SciChart.Charting3D.Model;
using SciChart.Charting3D.RenderableSeries;
using SciChart.Core.Extensions;
using SciChart.Examples.ExternalDependencies.Data;

namespace SciChart.Examples.Examples.SeeFeaturedApplication.Lidar3DPointCloudDemo
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Interaction logic for Lidar3DPointCloudDemoView.xaml
    /// </summary>
    public partial class Lidar3DPointCloudDemoView : UserControl
    {
        public Lidar3DPointCloudDemoView()
        {
            InitializeComponent();

            ReadLidarData();
        }

        private async void ReadLidarData()
        {
            // The LinearColorMap type in SciChart allows you to generate a colour map based on a 
            // minimum and maximum value, e.g. min=0, max=50 means the gradient brush below is mapped into that range
            // 
            // call .InitializeConstants() once and use ColorUtil.Lerp to interpolate the colormap for each data-value 
            var colorMap = new LinearColorMap
            {
                Minimum = 0,
                Maximum = 50,
                GradientStops = new []
                {
                    new ColorMapPoint { Color = Colors.DodgerBlue.ToArgb(), Offset = 0},
                    new ColorMapPoint { Color = Colors.LimeGreen.ToArgb(), Offset = 0.2},
                    new ColorMapPoint { Color = Colors.Orange.ToArgb(), Offset = 0.5},
                    new ColorMapPoint { Color = Colors.OrangeRed.ToArgb(), Offset = 0.7},
                    new ColorMapPoint { Color = Colors.Purple.ToArgb(), Offset = 1},
                }
            };
            colorMap.InitializeConstants();

            // Read the ASC Lidar data file with optional color map data
            var lidarData = await DataManager.Instance.GetAscDataAsync(heightValue => ColorMapFunction(heightValue, colorMap));

            // Parse into SciChart format
            pointCloud.DataSeries = await ParseToXyzDataSeries(lidarData, "tq3080_DSM_2M Point-Cloud");
            surfaceMesh.DataSeries = await ParseToGridDataSeries(lidarData, "tq3080_DSM_2M Topology Map");
        }

        private Color ColorMapFunction(float heightValue, LinearColorMap colorMap)
        {
            // Linearly interpolate each heightValue into a colour and return to the ASCReader
            // This will be injected into the SciChart XyzDataSeries3D to colour points in the point-cloud
            var argbColor = ColorUtil.Lerp(colorMap, heightValue);
            return ColorUtil.FromUInt(argbColor);
        }

        public static async Task<XyzDataSeries3D<float>> ParseToXyzDataSeries(global::Lidar3DPointCloudDemo.AscData lidarData, string identifier)
        {
            var xyzDataSeries3D = new XyzDataSeries3D<float> { SeriesName = identifier };

            await Task.Run(() =>
            {
                if (lidarData.ColorValues.IsNullOrEmpty())
                {
                    xyzDataSeries3D.Append(lidarData.XValues, lidarData.YValues, lidarData.ZValues);
                }
                else
                {
                    xyzDataSeries3D.Append(lidarData.XValues, lidarData.YValues, lidarData.ZValues, lidarData.ColorValues.Select(x => new PointMetadata3D(x)));
                }
            });

            return xyzDataSeries3D;
        }

        public static async Task<UniformGridDataSeries3D<float>> ParseToGridDataSeries(global::Lidar3DPointCloudDemo.AscData lidarData, string identifier)
        {
            UniformGridDataSeries3D<float> uniformGridDataSeries = null;

            await Task.Run(() =>
            {
                uniformGridDataSeries =
                    new UniformGridDataSeries3D<float>(lidarData.NumberColumns, lidarData.NumberRows)
                    {
                        SeriesName = identifier,
                        StartX = 0,
                        StepX = lidarData.CellSize,
                        StartZ = 0,
                        StepZ = lidarData.CellSize
                    };

                var index = 0;
                for (var z = 0; z < lidarData.NumberRows; z++)
                {
                    for (var x = 0; x < lidarData.NumberColumns; x++)
                    {
                        uniformGridDataSeries.InternalArray[z][x] = lidarData.YValues[index++];
                    }
                }
            });

            return uniformGridDataSeries;
        }
    }
}

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