I was planning on buying a laser range-finder from Hokuyo, HOKUYO URG-04LX. I already am using laser from Sick, and in comparison the Hokuyo are faster, consume less power and are half the price. The disadvantage is that they have a smaller usefull range.
If anybody has used laser range-finders from Hokuyo in the past, I would like to ear from them.
I was thinking on the Sick LMS-291, with wich I have some working experience. This laser returns a 2D scan of the 3D world, the same output obtained from the Hokuyo laser . Supose that you place the Sick LMS-291 on the top of a table. Then you will get the distance to the closest objects in a 180º aperture *and* that are at the same level as the table. The objects bellow or above the table top are not detected.