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Abstract

A non-contacting measurement apparatus to measure a two or three dimensional out of plane orientation with respect to a point on a flat surface and/or a two dimensional out of plane orientation with respect to a curved surface. Various embodiments are possible with some being capable of measuring perpendicularity to the surface, closest distance to the surface, angles of incidence of a vector from the measurement apparatus to the point on the surface, and/or generating three dimensional coordinate representations of the point on the surface with respect to the measurement apparatus and/or its components. Some embodiments of the measurement apparatus allow it to obtain orientation data dynamically, allowing the measurement apparatus and/or the surface to be moving while obtaining the orientation measurements. Additionally some embodiments of the measurement apparatus are capable of guiding a user to a particular orientation through an output device, while others are capable of calculating velocity and acceleration under specific conditions.

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First Claim