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tube. The display tube can be photographed on a line-by-line basis;
the resultant photograph will be an orthophoto with superimposed con
tour lines .
With a larger flying spot scanner tube and a stereoplotter de
signed to project all of the stereomodel on the scanner tube surface /
an almost completely automatic system can result. When one elevation
is contoured, the scanner tube can be automatically raised to the next
level. If desired, much of the orientation process can be automated
using the same correlator circuits which are in use in locating and trac
ing contours.
As instrument C factors are improved, the Stereoplotter will be
able to compete economically with most manually operated stereoplotters.
Given larger, high-resolution, flying spot scanner tubes, it is possible
to produce contoured orthophoto maps to system C factors of 1000 to 1500
within minutes with the Stereoplotter, Projection AP-14. As other types
of automatic plotting equipments are developed and perfected, much of
the bulk mapping done by the government agencies of most countries will
be done automatically. The stereoplotter operator will still be required
to complete the map. He will monitor the operation of several automatic
plotters, and fill in those areas where human judgment and experience
have not yet been automated.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The Stereoplotter, Projection AP-14 was developed under the
direction of the U. S. Air Force, Rome Air Development Center. The
work was capably guided by Mr. Joseph Diello of R.A.D.C., whose
technical suggestions as to system configuration and instrume ntation
contributed greatly to the success of the present equipment.