40 Years Of Disruptive Innovation In 3D

40 Years Of Disruptive Innovation In 3D

It takes persistence to be a scientist with stellar academic records. It takes divergent thinking to be a disruptive innovator. It takes confidence to be a business tycoon. It takes the highest degree of proficiency to be a skilled pilot. And it takes a formidable combination of all these virtues to be Dr Johannes Riegl.

“My goal was to have the freedom to realize my vision and ideas in the field of laser ranging technology, unhindered by constraints as given when working within an organization other than my own,” reels off free-spirited visionary Dr Riegl.

Studying radar and communications engineering in the year 1964-69 from the prestigious Vienna University of Technology provided him the means to quench his thirst for innovation. Here, he pioneered development of the essential circuitry — in principle, unchanged to this day — for driving a semiconductor laser transmitter. Young Dr Riegl also began gathering the first of many national and international patents based on his research. From 1970 to 1972 he developed the first miniaturized laser distance meters, and in 1975 when GPS was not yet available, he developed and designed a range finder for use in hydro graphic surveying.

However, 1978 was the turning point year, after being encouraged by university colleagues to start his own company; with a handful of students he left to start Riegl Laser Measurement Systems (LMS). Based on his R&D work at Vienna University of Technology they began developing industrial and the first surveying applications.