laser deflectometer for trees
Measurement technology for pulling tests and wind response measurements.
LOFOR® ® – the first laser-based deflectometer designed specifically for tree assessment.
Advantages
New: precise determination of the bending line.
The LOFOR laser deflectometer captures trunk bending under load as the integral response of all structurally relevant properties. The measured deformation reflects the sum of all contributing factors: wood type variations such as heartwood, reaction wood and sapwood, the actual cross-section, and existing defects such as cavities, decay and cracks.
Pulling tests and wind response measurements with minimal hardware effort
Stable readings at low force levels. In certain situations, manual force (300–400 N) is sufficient.
For force measurement during pulling tests, the LOFOR-compatible lineScale3 load cell is recommended
High resolution at lower force.
Measurement results with virtually unlimited accuracy. Through optical signal amplification, the smallest movements can be detected – ideal for trees with large diameters.
Thanks to the low force requirements, ecological snags and trees with graft unions can also be tested.
Dynamic wind response
Individual wind gusts (from approximately 40 km/h) are already sufficient to measure the bending line and root plate inclination – under dynamic wind conditions.
Data export to Arbostat
Arbostat files can be read and written: laser angles are inserted as inclino values.
Distinguish and identify failure patterns early
LOFOR measurement reveals where and how the trunk bends or twists (torsion around the trunk axis). Root damage manifests as the tree rotating in the ground – with little trunk bending.
Flexible, scalable precision
Sensitivity increases with the distance between lasers and projection surface. Clear line of sight is required; vegetation or infrastructure may obstruct the measurement.
how it works
Simple setup – complex results
01
Capture geometry & mount lasers
Record the trunk geometry using the LOFOR app (LiDAR scan). Then mount the lasers along the trunk axis and align them so that the beams strike the projection surface.
02
Perform measurement
Pull the tree or wait for wind gusts. The phone records the laser dot movement.
03
View results
The LOFOR software resolves bending, torsion and root plate rotation. Simple diagrams in the app and data export to Arbostat for further calculations.
Interactive Demo
Baumauslenkung unter Windlast
Move the slider to play measurement frames. Each point represents a laser at a different trunk height.
4 – 10+
lasers
< 0.001°
Resolution (depending on tree-to-camera distance)
24-240
Frames/sec – depending on video settings
2 Achsen
For wind measurements: second laser direction with mirror redirection
In the field
Simple setup - high accuracy
THE APP
All analyses. In your pocket.
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