Great Expectations
Automation in Photogrammetry
by Randall D. ESTEN
Topographie Engineering Department
U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Laboratories
Fort Belvoir, Virginia
PRECIS.
In the introduction of the panel on automation of stereoscopic projection plotters the
author, as moderator, points out that advances in this field have been slow in realization
but that real progress is being made. A brief summary of some past work in this area is
illustrated by photographs of six experimental plotters.
ZUSAMMENFASSUNG.
In der Einführung der Abteilung in betreff der Automatisierung der Stereoprojek-
tionsgerüten, der Autor (als Mittelsmann) zeigt dass in diesem Fach die Durchführungs-
fortschritte langsam gewesen ist, aber wirkliche Vordringen unterwegs ist. Eine kurze
Zusammenfassung einiger vorheriger Arbeit in diesem Fach ist mit Abbildungen von
sechs Versuchsgeráüten erláutert.
RESUME.
Dans l'introduction du panneau au regard l'automatisation de traceur projection
stéréoscopique, l’auteur en le function de modérateur, indique que certain avancement
dans ce champ fait lent en réalisation, mais que de progrès actuel fait être accomplie. Un
sommaire bref de quelque travails passées en ce champ est illustré avec photographs de
six traceurs projections expérimentals.
In passive mood Alice sat on the bank and watched a little white rabbit scurry
across the field in front of her. This rabbit was rather remarkable, however, for as it
approached the position where Alice sat, she saw it stop, take a watch out of its waistcoat-
pocket, and hear it exclaim to itself “Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late," before it
popped down a nearby hole in the ground and vanished completely.
In the phantasmagoria of the present day world we may be likened to the White
Rabbit in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland perpetually late for our meeting with the
Duchess, perpetually late in the many operations we attempt. As photogrammetrists we
have watched satellite after satellite thrown into orbit about the earth and seen the
photographs recorded from a few of them. We have seen photographs of the dark side
of the moon and anticipate photographs of the planets. What marvellous technology lies
behind these achievements, and what potential opportunities for mapping!
It was Thomas Jefferson who remarked that every generation was entitled to its
own revolution. Of the great revolutions of our day one has been brought about by
international tensions and another by science and technology. A great revolution of
rising expectation is now sweeping the world. Within our own small photogrammetric
circle we also experience the exhilaration of this rising wave of expectation of scientific
advance. We are eager to participate in the many new challenges which await our skills.
Shall we be too late? Shall our efforts be too meager and thus inconsequential? I think
not. I speak for automation in photogrammetry, and though advance has been slow, it
has been steady, and we are closing with a rush. I shall tell you of some of the begin-
