1. A process for identifying an unknown object, the process comprising the steps: compiling data on selected features of a plurality of articulated segments of a plurality of known objects by making piecewise pixel-pair invariant measurements of each of the plurality of segments of the known objects; illuminating the unknown object by means of a laser radar system; dividing the unknown object into a plurality articulated segments corresponding to each of the segments of the known objects; sequentially measuring selected features of each of the plurality of segments of the unknown object by making piecewise pixel-pair invariant measurements of each of the plurality of segments of the unknown objects; and comparing the piecewise pixel-pair invariant measurements of each of the plurality of segments of the unknown object until a match is found wherein the pixel-pair invariant measurements include the distance between first and second pixels of the pixel-pairs, the angle between the normals, {hacek over (N)}p and {hacek over (N)}Q, to the surface area about the first and second pixels, the normalized distance between the first and second pairs along {hacek over (N)}p+{hacek over (N)}Q, and the normalized distance between the first and second pairs along {hacek over (N)}p*{hacek over (N)}Q and comparing the sequentially measuring selected features of each of the plurality of segments of the unknown object to the selected features on the plurality of segments of the plurality of known objects to identify the unknown object.