In modern engineering, the term laser scanning is used with two related, but separate, meanings.

The first, more general, is the meaning of laser beam deflection control, visible or invisible.[1] Laser beam scanning is used in stereolithography machines, in rapid prototyping, in material processing machines, laser engraving in ophthalmic laser systems, for the treatment of presbyopia, in confocal microscopy, in laser printers, in laser shows, in laser TV, in LIDAR and in barcode scanners.

The second, more specific, is the controlled direction of laser beams followed by a distance measurement in each pointing direction. This method, often called 3D object scanning or 3D laser scanning, is used to quickly capture shapes of objects, buildings, and landscapes.