1. A device for projecting patterned radiation, comprising: a pattern-generating element configured to produce a radiation pattern, wherein the radiation pattern includes: a plurality of spatial symbols arranged in a spatial arrangement, wherein each spatial symbol comprises a radiation distribution such that at least one characteristic of the radiation distribution varies spatially and wherein the plurality of spatial symbols are configured such that: each respective spatial symbol of the plurality of spatial symbols is distinguishable from the other spatial symbols of the plurality of spatial symbols; and each respective spatial symbol of the plurality of spatial symbols is similar to a master spatial symbol such that: a normalized spatial cross correlation between the master spatial symbol and the plurality of spatial symbols arranged in the spatial arrangement, having a domain of relative offsets between the master spatial symbol and the spatial arrangement of spatial symbols, and producing a normalized spatial cross correlation value for each point in the domain, produces values that form peaks exceeding a first predetermined threshold at regions in the domain representing zero relative offset between the master spatial symbol and each of the spatial symbols in the spatial arrangement; and the values of the normalized spatial cross correlation between the master spatial symbol and the plurality of spatial symbols arranged in the spatial arrangement are each side lobe, from a plurality of side lobes, of the normalized spatial cross correlation of the master spatial symbol and each respective spatial symbol is less than a second predetermined threshold at all regions of the domain other than the peaks.