Light graffiti
Posted in Laser Photos at 6:24 am
I was experimenting with using a laser as a light source for photography. The reflected beam causes unnaturally harsh shadow which are visually interesting. However, just waving the laser around the room with the shutter open yields much more interesting results:
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Open loop laser scanner gallery
Posted in Laser Photos at 11:04 pm
Win a WL Nexus
Posted in Random at 8:25 pm
ARS Geek has details on a contest to win a WL Nexus - be sure to enter by December 21!
Go here for more information http://www.arsgeek.com/?p=3007
New Laser Classification System
Posted in Resources at 2:36 pm
From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_safety
Class 1
A class 1 laser is safe under all conditions of normal use. This means the maximum permissible exposure (MPE) cannot be exceeded. This class includes high-power lasers within an enclosure that prevents exposure to the radiation and that cannot be opened without shutting down the laser. For example, a continuous laser at 600 nm can emit up to 0.39 mW, but for shorter wavelengths, the maximum emission is lower because of the potential of those wavelengths to generate photochemical damage. The maximum emission is also related to the pulse duration in the case of pulsed lasers and the degree of spatial coherence.
Old Laser Classification System
Posted in Resources at 2:34 pm
From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_safety
Class I
Inherently safe; no possibility of eye damage. This can be either because of a low output power (in which case eye damage is impossible even after hours of exposure), or due to an enclosure preventing user access to the laser beam during normal operation, such as in CD players or laser printers.
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Wicked Lasers Green LaserShades
Posted in Reviews at 2:20 pm
Anything above a class IIIa requires eye protection. By definition, a class IIIb laser can cause eye damage with direct exposure in a shorter amount of time than your blink reflex can protect you from. That is why Wicked Lasers released the LaserShades.
Wicked Lasers -The Core
Posted in Reviews at 10:13 am
The Wicked Lasers Core is one of the best built 5mw green laser pointers I’ve found. I’ve owned several ledlight-style pointers before and this things beats them hands-down.
Meredith Instruments Liquid Sky Scanner
Posted in Reviews at 10:11 am
A liquid sky scanner is also known as a polygon scanner. Imagine something like a hex-nut that spins. A laser hits the vertical surface and the beam is reflected back. As the surface rotates, the beam sweeps across the plane it is on. Essentially, this is all the scanner is. However, it has a scan rate of over 800hz and a great quality mirrored surface.
And the results: Read the rest of this entry »
Open Loop Galvo
Posted in Laser Videos, Tutorials at 4:26 pm
I wanted to write a basic tutorial on how to create some simple but impressive laser effects for beginners (like me!) All this setup takes is a computer, an old Laser Disc player and some wire cutters.
Wicked Lasers Nexus Series
Posted in Reviews at 4:20 pm
The Nexus series from Wicked Lasers is one of the most powerful pen-style lasers you can buy. With an average of 95mW output, this unit is allmost 20 times more powerful than your typical green pointer. Indeed, this isn’t a pointer nor is it a toy. Proper eye wear must be worn at all times while using this device. (I use the Laser Shades from WL and they work great for this laser.)
