LiDAR was first introduced on the iPhone with the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. iPhones use LiDAR tech to measure light distance and capture depth information, and the feature is expected to remain exclusive ...

But what is one to do with a LIDAR module? Well, [David] decided to build a room scanner with his Garmin LIDAR Lite, and it’s a wonderful sight to behold.

Halide built a proof-of-concept called Esper to illustrate the LiDAR Scanner's potential as a tool for creating augmented reality environments which, according to Apple, is the module's main purpose.

The scanner consists of a rotating platform, which is driven by a stepper motor. The platform then contains a second motor which runs a tilt axis, upon which the LIDAR is mounted.

The transmitter works a little like Face ID, firing out an array of infrared dots which the sensor picks up. But it is the module design itself which is the giveaway to Apple’s iPhone 12 plans.

The new camera module separates via a few screws, with a 10-megapixel ultra-wide module along with a 12-megapixel wide camera, and the LiDAR scanner, which as previously revealed is made up of two ...