A method for tracking and measuring volume, shape and surfaces of objects, such as logs, simultaneously. In series of load and unload operations along a procurement line, series of images are captured by e.g., CCD stereo cameras with sufficient spatial resolution capabilities. Simultaneously, the location of objects (logs) are registered by a GPS system aiding the tracking of the objects. The load and unload operations are typically performed by machineries such as harvesters, forwarders or trucks all equipped with a crane. On such machines digital cameras are mounted on jib arms and a computer system is attached. A GPS system is mounted on the machines too and the computer system is attached here as well. Thus the real time processing of stereo images can be accomplished and the volume, shape and surface of the 3D objects are computed simultaneously with their location in space. The resulting data are sent to a central database that keeps track of objects and their locations. These data are then again available for the following step in the procurement line as a priory information, facilitating the computation of the size, shape, surface and location of logs (objects) at the current load/unload operation. A chain of information provided by this invention will profoundly increase efficiency of any production chain subjectable to the presented method.
