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In the field of accident reconstruction, it is often important to measure the deformation of a vehicle (i.e. automobile, truck, motorcycle, etc.) after a crash has occurred. This data can be used for many purposes including energy calculations for speed loss, measuring roof or other structural deformation, analyzing seat or seat belt component positions, frame or unitized body structure deformation, and for estimating the actual post crash condition of a vehicle prior to the damage inflicted by the cutting and spreading tools used by emergency personnel. Traditionally, vehicle damage was measured using plumb bobs and tape measures or laser transits. However, these methods are not only time consuming but they also require a significant amount of upfront analysis to determine which points on the vehicle to measure at the inspection. In recent years, newer methods such as photogrammetry software and three dimensional scanners have come into play.

In the field of accident reconstruction, a reconstructionist will often inspect a crash scene months or years after a crash has occurred. With this passage of time important evidence is sometimes no longer present at the scene (i.e. the vehicles involved in the crash, debris on the roadway, tire marks, gouges, paint marks, etc.). When a scene has not been totally documented with a survey by MAIT or the investigating officers, the reconstructionist may need to rely on police, fire department, security camera, or witness photographs. These photos can be used to locate missing evidence by employing traditional photogrammetric techniques. However, traditional techniques require planar surfaces, matched discrete points, or camera matching at the scene.