Cross-eyed Laser
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While we're pretending, why not use a chip-laser mounted forward at a horizontal angle of X degrees off the sensor's radial on the detection platform (assume it might rotate) and use ccd image to measure the laser dot offset from center? This doesn't require pico-speed, just a desire to play. How do you measure the distance to the wall?... measure how far the dot is positioned along the right left axis.

Of course, you may blind all the cats in the neighborhood.

-Jay C. Box