LIDAR – sometimes called time of flight (ToF), laser scanners or laser radar – is a sensing method that detects objects and maps their distances. The technology works by illuminating a target with an optical pulse and measuring the characteristics of the reflected return signal. A new development in LIDAR systems is the use of a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) to filter out the ambient light from the photodetector. Such an addition can significantly improve the performance of the associated LIDAR system.