Roadprint — Kyle B. R. Bennett

The problem

Road damage is often reported through photographs and informal descriptions that do not capture depth, area, material volume, or change over time. That weakens repair estimates and makes prioritization harder.

The system concept

Roadprint combines a traffic-conscious physical measurement frame with LiDAR and RGB capture. A single operator could document a defect, generate a spatial model, and create an evidence package for planning and procurement.

A later edge-computing layer could estimate material requirements, crew size, and repair duration while retaining the underlying measurements for human review.

Design requirements

Useful in the field.

One-worker setup

A telescoping, visible frame should minimize labor while making the operator and scan zone legible to traffic.

Evidence before inference

Measurements and source imagery remain accessible so estimates can be audited instead of accepted as a black box.

Low-cost validation

Early trials can use existing phone LiDAR to validate the workflow before custom sensing hardware is justified.

Development note: Roadprint is an active research and prototyping concept. It is not currently a certified road-inspection instrument.