An apparatus and method for measuring volumes. The apparatus includes a
base having a central processing unit, a receiver and a dock; and a
scanner having an inertial navigation system, a transmitter, a sensor, a
reset control, and a trigger in communication with a microprocessor. An
alternate embodiment scanner may include an exclude control, which
instructs the central processing unit to exclude floor, ceiling, and
walls from the volume calculation. The method of measuring volumes
includes the steps of placing the scanner in the dock, actuating a reset
control which establishes a reference point for the inertial navigation
system, scanning objects, transmitting the data points scanned to the
central processing unit, and calculating the volume of the object(s)
scanned.