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Green Security Clearance Laser Pistol Available

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the insert-remaining-eye-joke-here dept.

nazgul000 writes "You thought those green laser pointers sold by ThinkGeek and others were pretty cool, didn't you? Well, think again." It seems obligatory to point out that even laser pointers, and certainly anything more powerful than those, are capable of causing real damage.

102 of 586 comments (clear)

  1. way different lasers by ack154 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Ok... let's compare.

    Lasershoppe.com Laser: >100mW (one tested was 191!)
    Thinkgeek.com Laser: 5mW

    Yes... there is a 20x difference in power here (about 38x with the tested one). While lasers in general can be harmful, the one this guy is selling should really be considered a weapon.

    Also worth noting about the lasershoppe one: "this laser is not legal to use in public."

    1. Re:way different lasers by BWJones · · Score: 5, Informative

      Mod parent up.

      Look. Many things can be made into weapons. In the case of lasers, it is never good to be looking into a laser beam of any wattage especially as the damage to your retina (likely the retinal pigment epithelium initially) may go undetected for years, but could establish a starting off point for macular degeneration. But like the parent said, pump it up 20X in power and you are starting to be able to cause some real damage immediately.

      --
      Visit Jonesblog and say hello.
    2. Re:way different lasers by jd · · Score: 3, Funny

      Pity you can't use sed to upgrade them from mW to MW.

      --
      It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
    3. Re:way different lasers by jeblucas · · Score: 2

      Hey BWJones, this is your forté, right? Isn't there some minimal power below which you can blink faster than the laser can deposit enough energy to damage the retina? I'm having some vague recollections from physics courses.

      --
      blarg.
    4. Re:way different lasers by voxlator · · Score: 5, Funny

      Look, it's not lasers that cause retinal pigment epithelium damage to people, it's people that cause retinal pigment epithelium damage to people.

      :o)

      --#voxlator

    5. Re:way different lasers by BWJones · · Score: 5, Informative

      Well, retinal degenerative diseases and remodeling is my forte, but I do recall that red lasers in the 3-5Mw range should cause no retinal damage per se. I qualify that because the long term studies have not been done, only short term studies to my knowledge. The thing you have to remember is that lasers are coherent light that "packs" much more energy into their beam than does say a 200 watt halogen lamp which throws its energy all over the place wasting about 90% of its energy as light. So, as I recall the threshold for damage is 10Xs the acceptable wattage for lasers assuming that people will guard by blinking when exposed to a bright light. (blink time being somewhere about 2/10ths of a second). So, the currently accepted wattage figures on the threshold of immediate tissue damage are in the 30-50Mw range. But you have to remember that the criteria are somewhat vague and no long term studies (to my knowledge) have been done as to the effects on the retina and RPE of brief exposures to low wattage laser light. I might suspect that you could increase your chances for having dry macular degeneration, but that is hazarding a guess.....Regardless, a good rule of thumb is to never stare into a bright light source. (oh, and always invest in good quality sunglasses).

      --
      Visit Jonesblog and say hello.
    6. Re:way different lasers by cpt_rhetoric · · Score: 2, Funny

      Exactly. I have first hand knowledge the devastation that common school room supplies (a rubber band, pencil eraser and pin) can cause.

    7. Re:way different lasers by Tackhead · · Score: 4, Funny
      > Well, retinal degenerative diseases and remodeling is my forte, but I do recall that red lasers in the 3-5Mw range should cause no retinal damage per se.

      ...on account of it being hard to examine the retina when there's nothing left of the head but some vapor.

      There are, however, red lasers in the milliWatt range for which the blink/aversion response is (probably) fast enough to prevent damage.

      > So, the currently accepted wattage figures on the threshold of immediate tissue damage are in the 30-50Mw range.

      True. Because on the battlefield, there's no such thing as overkill!

    8. Re:way different lasers by evilviper · · Score: 5, Informative
      Isn't there some minimal power below which you can blink faster than the laser can deposit enough energy to damage the retina?

      This is exactly how lasers are classified.

      You are refering to a Class II laser. It has the potential to cause damage to your eyes, but it is low enough power (and in the visible light range) so your blinking reflex will protect your eyes. Though, like looking into the sun, people can fight that reflex (usually children) and blind themselves.

      Class III lasers are the most dangerous ones, resulting in instant damage. I believe most if not all laser pointers are class 3 devices.

      Class I lasers are so low powered that you can look directly into them for a long period of time, and not cause any damage at all, as a result.
      --
      Slashdot gets worse every day... Pipedot: News for nerds, without the corporate slant
    9. Re:way different lasers by khrtt · · Score: 3, Informative

      The actual Class IIIa standard allows up to 5mW CW output, with higher allowed peak power for pulsed lasers. The allowed peak power grows as 4th degree root of duty cycle, and decreases as 4th degree root of rep. rate. Or something like that. They assume blinking time of 1/4 second, and the formula gives 5mW with 4 rep/sec pulse rate and 100% duty cycle.

    10. Re:way different lasers by arose · · Score: 2, Funny
      The thinkgeek laser cannot be used to burn holes in paper cups.
      The sun however can be, ban lenses and convex mirrors!!!
      --
      Analogies don't equal equalities, they are merely somewhat analogous.
    11. Re:way different lasers by Ann+Elk · · Score: 3, Informative

      100mW? Ha!

    12. Re:way different lasers by JollyFinn · · Score: 2, Funny

      YES!!!
      I can play with 1kW metal cutting laser since its WAY under 3MW, so its safe.
      no more fuzzy 3mW lasers. Lets play with real thing that can cut metal.

      --
      Emacs is good operating system, but it has one flaw: Its text editor could be better.
    13. Re:way different lasers by Kaboom13 · · Score: 4, Informative

      There was a case here in Florida where a young teenager pointed a laser pointer at a cop at night and the cop shot and killed him. The cop was cleared of the killing, as the situation gave the cop reasonable belief he was in danger. I couldn't find the article with a quick search as it was many years ago, but I did find this http://www.thebackup.com/archives_newsdetail.asp?i d=-1141952145 which is about a similiar case where the officer wounded a teenager in the thigh. Pointing a laser pointer at a cop is a serious threat to that cop, and if the situation is already tense might get you shot.

    14. Re:way different lasers by jstott · · Score: 4, Informative
      Class III lasers are the most dangerous ones, resulting in instant damage. I believe most if not all laser pointers are class 3 devices.

      Class III means the laser is an eye hazard. Class IIIa are hazardous if focused, class IIIb are focused as-is. There are also class IV lasers, which are burn hazards (I've worked with both) and are more dangerous than class III lasers. Most laser pointers are class IIIb, although I've seen lower. Note too that laser classification is based on power at the output, not at the source.

      "Instant damage" is a bit over-stated, but class IIIb lasers (especially at the >100mW levels in the original article) are most definitely capable of causing retinal damage.

      -JS

      --
      Vanity of vanities, all is vanity...
    15. Re:way different lasers by passthecrackpipe · · Score: 2, Informative

      That would be Class IV lasers that are the most dangerous. I have worked with with many class IV laser on account of having run an entertainment laser show outfit for some time. I do believe the article linked to (the FAQ from the Sam bloke) is a bit hysterical though. I used to get guys over from Coherent to get the core optics a proper cleaning, and they always used to freak out about the fact we didn't have goggles. Although I have quite a few burn scars on the side of my arms from working on live optics tables in crammed conditions, neither me, nor anyone I know of, have ever had any eye issues. I did have some cowboys work with me a few times, but they usually get asked to leave real quick. When you work with 10, 15 or 20 Watt argon/krypton tubes you have got to simply take care of what you are doing. In the conditions we worked in (sometimes hoisting the bloody things into the trees), it is a general rule that if you need goggles, you are not right for the job.

      --
      People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.
    16. Re:way different lasers by PurpleFloyd · · Score: 3, Informative
      Not quite. As referenced in the Laser FAQ (linked from the article), laser classifications are as follows:
      • Class I. Totally enclosed within some other device, with safety interlocks to prevent the laser from powering up when safety covers are off. Interestingly, even a really dangerous Class IV laser falls into this category if it is completely contained within an OEM device with the apppropriate safety interlocks.
      • Class II. Reasonably safe to look directly into the beam. I think that the threshold is 1000 seconds continious exposure without permanant eye damage, although I could be wrong.
      • Class IIIa. Lasers which would cause near-immediate damage to eye tissue, but which are blocked in time to prevent damage by the blink reflex. This is the category of most laser pointers, although probably not the monster which is sold at the linked site.
      • Class IIIb. These are lasers which can cause permanant eye damage before the blink reflex kicks in. This is where lasers start getting Dangerous with a capital D.
      • Class IV. Dangerous to look at the reflection of the beam, even from matte surfaces. Can cause damage to flesh or other objects in the beam path. Eye exposure will probably cause immediate and permanant blindness with lasers in this class. Very dangerous stuff.
      --

      That's it. I'm no longer part of Team Sanity.
    17. Re:way different lasers by BlueJay465 · · Score: 2

      ...wait, do I smell popcorn?

    18. Re:way different lasers by NormalVisual · · Score: 2, Informative

      Putting the lasers in the trees is one thing, but in the course of working several years for a large laser integration company that dealt with everything from 5 watt green YAGs to 5 kilowatt CO2s, I learned that it's really a good idea to have goggles anytime you're going to be exposed to *any* high-power (i.e. more than 10 mw or so) system - you just don't know when you're going to have a stray reflection that catches you in the eyes or when some idiot working on something fails to put a proper backstop up or disables the shutter and fires a beam at eye level across the work area. While you can see Ar/Kr/HeNe beams pretty easily, it really sucks for IR and UV lasers - your vision gets damaged before you even know you took a beam in the eyes. Near-IR units are *really* bad about that - a CO2 will burn your cornea and hurt like hell, but at least it can be fixed in a lot of cases. A YAG will burn your retina beyond repair and you won't feel a thing until it's too late, and even the green and UV YAGs will still have a pretty substantial IR component unless they're filtered, which I've never seen on a Class IV YAG.

      --
      Please stand clear of the doors, por favor mantenganse alejado de las puertas
    19. Re:way different lasers by Kaboom13 · · Score: 2

      I agree, I was not being sarcastic, I think the cop had every right to shoot that kid. At night, in a potentially dangerous situation, the cop has to protect himself and has every reason to believe it is a laser sight.

    20. Re:way different lasers by Politburo · · Score: 2, Insightful

      it is a general rule that if you need goggles, you are not right for the job.

      If that's the attitude you had towards safety, I'm glad you're no longer in that line of work. I suspect your insurance carrier wouldn't have been too pleased, either.

  2. Its all fun and games..... by Unloaded · · Score: 5, Funny

    ....till someone uses one of these as a cat toy...

    1. Re:Its all fun and games..... by SnapShot · · Score: 5, Funny

      Luckily, the use of a laser pointer as a cat toy is patented and therefore you are required to get a license before engaging in such an activity. A reasonably responsible corporate entity would never grant such a license. (God, I wish I was joking).

      --
      Waltz, nymph, for quick jigs vex Bud.
    2. Re:Its all fun and games..... by SnapShot · · Score: 5, Informative
      Some ignorant fucker accused me of being a troll... Here's the patent, my dear friend.


      United States Patent 5,443,036
      Amiss , et al. August 22, 1995
      Method of exercising a cat

      Abstract

      A method for inducing cats to exercise consists of directing a beam of invisible light produced by a hand-held laser apparatus onto the floor or wall or other opaque surface in the vicinity of the cat, then moving the laser so as to cause the bright pattern of light to move in an irregular way fascinating to cats, and to any other animal with a chase instinct.


      It looks like they've gotten more sophisticated.


      United States Patent 6,651,591
      Chelen November 25, 2003

      A pet toy and exerciser which produces an automatically movable, outwardly projected laser beam. The function thereof is to provide virtual "prey" for the stimulation and exercise of an animal. The device, which does not include a conventional motor, is small (e.g., can be handheld), lightweight, battery operated and silent, and has an extremely long potential cycle life. Electrically energized nitinol wires deflect a visible laser module to produce a virtual laser light target moved through three dimensions.
      --
      Waltz, nymph, for quick jigs vex Bud.
    3. Re:Its all fun and games..... by SnapShot · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Don't be a dick. It's hillarious that they got the patent. It's tragic that the USPTO granted it.

      --
      Waltz, nymph, for quick jigs vex Bud.
    4. Re:Its all fun and games..... by AbbyNormal · · Score: 3, Funny

      Bah,

      Someone pointed this out... That's not a cat toy, THIS is a Cat Toy!

      Stupid Cats...

      --
      Sig it.
  3. Must... Buy.... by AndyFewt · · Score: 2, Funny

    I want one, but only for entirely professional and responsible purposes... yes, I would *never* use such a thing to burn holes in cups and other fun things like that. I think its a bit expensive although I dont know the actual costs of lasers of this power/type/whatever.

    Kinda went overkill on the safety features built in my opinion. But I guess safety is a must with lasers.

  4. Re:What's a green security clearance? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Sorry, that is beyond your clearance level citizen. your Friend, the Computer, would appreciate it if you would report for termination immediately. Have a nice day!

  5. Disclaimer, ie, don't sue us if you're dumb. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    This laser is not legal to use in public, and while we are not asking for any proof that the buyer is qualified to own this device, we trust that it will be used in a responsible fashion.

    Bwahahahahhahahhahahahaahah!

  6. OMG by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 5, Funny

    from the article/sales pitch
    - There is a 2 second delay after you click the "on" button before the laser will produce a beam.

    Click.
    Click.
    Click.
    (Peering into lens)
    Hey why isn't this worARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHH!

    --
    liqbase :: faster than paper
  7. Warning! by pegr · · Score: 5, Funny

    Warning! Do not look into laser with remaining eye!

    1. Re:Warning! by savagedome · · Score: 4, Funny

      Too late. Damn.

      --


      Free XBox, PS2
    2. Re:Warning! by BLAG-blast · · Score: 5, Funny
      Warning! Do not look into laser with remaining eye!

      Recent safery changes will probably not discourage this:

      • - There is a 2 second delay after you click the "on" button before the laser will produce a beam.
      Somebody thinking, "Hmmmm, last I used one of these it came on straight away and I lost my right eye, this unit must have something wrong with thiARRHRHGHHHH, my eye!"

      --
      M0571y H@rml355.
    3. Re:Warning! by Hogwash+McFly · · Score: 2, Funny

      Brings a new meaning to

      Nothing to see here, please move along

      --
      Mother, do you think they'll like this sig?
    4. Re:Warning! by FriendComputer · · Score: 2, Funny

      <mcbain>
      My eyes! The goggles, they do nothing!
      </mcbain>

      --
      ----- Rooting out Commie Mutant Traitors since 1984
    5. Re:Warning! by john+holycrow · · Score: 2

      A couple of weeks ago, a caught a red flash in my right eye. I quickly realized it was a couple of kids sitting at the bus stop across the street playing with a laser pointer. I got to my office, from where I could still see the bus stop. We called the cops, told them which bus, they intercepted it and scared the living crap out of the kids. They were only 11; a year older, and (in Canada) they would be charged with assault. The after-image lasted only about 15 minutes, but I'm going for a check-up anyway.

    6. Re:Warning! by nxtr · · Score: 2, Funny

      Evolution at work!

    7. Re:Warning! by ObiWanKenblowme · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I once had a truck driver and his passenger bouncing a red laser into my eye off of my rear view mirror as I was driving down the road!! Unfortunately they didn't have a "how's my driving" sticker and their tag was so crud-encrusted I couldn't make out the number. I would've loved to have been able to tell the FHP exactly who to go nail though - it's very scary when you're driving along, minding your own business, and all of a sudden are literally seeing red. Lucky for me, the afterimage only lasted a couple seconds and there was no (apparent) lasting damage.

      --
      Obvious exits are NORTH, SOUTH, and DENNIS.
    8. Re:Warning! by Majik+Sznak · · Score: 4, Funny

      Actually, natural selection at work. :)

      --
      Karma: Chameleon (Mostly affected by the 1980s)
    9. Re:Warning! by maxdamage · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Sounds like he may be a future Darwin Awards candidate.

    10. Re:Warning! by drinkypoo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The best part is that this is apparently a requirement for making the device legal for licensing. Reminds me of how the US mandates that any soot in diesel exhaust here now has to be under a certain size, but the bigger particles are filtered out by lung cilia and the smaller ones aren't. Makes you wonder who makes this shit up.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    11. Re:Warning! by Lord+Flipper · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yeah, remember that when you're dying from cancer, because corporate 'special interests' were let off 'the hook', and you're too fucked up on morphine to say goodbye to your kids.

      Oh, and have a nice day. Heheh...sucker

  8. PLEASE! by af_robot · · Score: 5, Funny

    Any links where i can also buy some fricken sharks?!

  9. Obscure RPG Ref by BrynM · · Score: 5, Funny
    I can't get past Red clearance according to the beloved and benevolent Computer. After my last clone was killed by the room-blender-bot, the evidence of him not being a commie mutant traitor was destroyed. Red lasers for me until the next clone as I have to give my life to the needs of the Computer in a spectacular blaze of glory to redeem myslef... or volunteer to go outside for experiments! Eww!!! That fireball in the sky scares me. The Computer should have it destroyed!

    What do you mean I said too much?!?!? I'm not a traitor! I'm not a commie spy! Nooooooo...........

    --
    US Democracy:The best person for the job (among These pre-selected choices...)
    1. Re:Obscure RPG Ref by willfe · · Score: 4, Funny

      Citizen, you are not authorized to disseminate this material to Infrared clearance citizens. You are also clearly not authorized to visit this underground "Slashdot" secret society network system. Please report for termination.

      For your next clone's reference: there is no "fireball in the sky." There is no "outside." There are no "green lasers."

      Thank you for your cooperation!

      --
      Read my stuff.
    2. Re:Obscure RPG Ref by Mr.+Competence · · Score: 4, Informative

      Citizen, you have revealed too much.
      Go here or here for re-education.
      Remember, the Computer is your friend.

      --
      Those who open their minds too far often let their brains fall out.
    3. Re:Obscure RPG Ref by AvitarX · · Score: 5, Funny

      We will always remember you [Name deleted due to traitorous information dissemination] for your noble works and experiments in the [Region Deleted due to non-existance] with the big [object deleted] in the [object deleted].

      --
      Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
  10. Re:What's a green security clearance? by hyphz · · Score: 5, Informative

    It's a joke based on an old classic RPG called Paranoia.

    Security codes were assigned based on the UV spectrum, with Infrared being the lowest, and Ultraviolet the highest. The clothing and similar worn by people had to match their colour (or Black for IR and White for UV).

    Lasers were the standard weapon in the game, and were coded according to the clearance of the firer. Reflective armor, protecting against lasers, was also coded by colour and couldn't protect against any laser of a shorter wavelength - so people had no protection of those of higher clearence than themselves.

  11. Whoa.. by ShadeARG · · Score: 2, Funny

    That sure makes this guy look real smart :)

  12. Re:Good Job, Slashdot by Shadow+Wrought · · Score: 3, Funny

    Brag when servers are taken down by the Memepool effect.

    --
    If brevity is the soul of wit, then how does one explain Twitter?
  13. Capable of causing real damage.. by bludstone · · Score: 2, Funny

    ..you do realize that that makes them EXTRA cool, not less cool, right?

    If I was thinkgeek, I'd double the price, or at least up it to $150.00

    --

    no .sig
  14. Re:What's a green security clearance? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I have found a commie mutant traitor giving out classified information to other traitors! Termination ahoy!

  15. Are these really stories? by duckpoopy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    because they seem like advertisements...

    --
    word.
    1. Re:Are these really stories? by OverlordQ · · Score: 2, Funny

      This guy's site got hammered once when it was on a couple different link sites last week. Now it's getting hammered by slashdot. Anything he makes will probably be offset by his hosting bill.

      --
      Your hair look like poop, Bob! - Wanker.
    2. Re:Are these really stories? by gad_zuki! · · Score: 2, Informative

      Actually slashdot linked to the coral cache of his page:

      http://64.252.62.40.nyud.net:8090/lasershoppe/in de x.htm

      See the nyud.net:8090 in there? Smart move. Hopefully submitters will be doing this more often.

  16. rut ro by kevinx · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ...Hooked up to a scope, this could be a very deadly tool. This would easily blind someone at a distance.

    I hate having strict regulations on everything..but.. the thought of a couple of kids playing a prank and permanently blinding me while I'm on my way to work is very scary.

    1. Re:rut ro by Delphiki · · Score: 2, Insightful

      They could also run up to you any number of hazardous chemicals you can find around the house in your face, or hell, just throw a pencil and have it hit in an unlucky way. You can do horrible things to people with just about anything, if you want to be a dick. Should we need a license to buy peanuts because so many people are allergic?

      --

      Feel free to mod me "-1 - Angry Jerk".

  17. Given that the "old" ones weren't used responsibly by popo · · Score: 4, Interesting


    I remember reading that traditional "red laser" pointing devices were being banned from British football matches because fans would point them in to the eyes of goalkeepers. Someone told me that they were at a Liverpool match once and one of the goalkeepers had about 8 red dots all over his body when he made a save.

    Now we've got something that can fry the friggin ball itself...

    Anyone want to bet on the "responsible adult" factor for international soccer fans.

    These things are a bad idea....

    --
    ------ The best brain training is now totally free : )
  18. Austin Powers Moment on a college kid's budget.... by hcob$ · · Score: 2, Funny

    The Alan Parson's Project......


    --Poor college student in monologue-- Now comes the time to blackmail the US for 1 Miiiillion Doooolarrs... However since I only have 700 dollars and no reusable launch vehicle, I shall buy this green "laser" and a bathroom mirror to reflect the beam from the general direction of the moon and hope they don't notice the large black shadow.


    --The RA walks in the door-- *Ahem!* (RA walks up and snatches 120 dollars from the kid's hands) I thought you would have the money you owed me by now....


    --College Kid-- Damn, guess I'll just go watch some porn on the internet instead.

    --
    Cliff Claven
    K.E.G. Party Chairman
    Founding Leader of: Koncerned for Egalitarin Governance
  19. Public service by confusion · · Score: 2, Insightful
    Posting a link to buy a high-powered laser on slashdot is certainly a good way to keep them off the streets... er shelves.
    That being said, I really want one. I wish the site hadn't died so soon.

    Jerry
    http://www.syslog.org/

  20. Re:What's a green security clearance? by Allen+Varney · · Score: 4, Informative
    Anyone care to explain the color codes of security clearances?

    The headline refers to the tabletop paper-and-pencil roleplaying game PARANOIA, originally published in 1984 by West End Games (New York City) and recently republished as PARANOIA XP by Mongoose Publishing (Swindon, UK).

    PARANOIA is a satirical science fiction RPG set in an underground city, Alpha Complex, ruled by an insane Computer. The Computer has imposed an unbreakable system of security clearances that represent how much it trusts a given citizen. The security clearances are keyed to the colors of the spectrum. The lowest security clearance is INFRARED, meaning The Computer doesn't trust you at all; INFRARED citizens wear black. RED Clearances is the next highest, followed by ORANGE, YELLOW, and so on up to VIOLET. Above VIOLET Clerance are the illustrious High Programmers, the ULTRAVIOLETs, who can program The Computer itself. High Programmers wear white.

    PARANOIA sold over 150,000 copies in its first couple of editions, and the new "XP" edition has been well received. You can find out a lot more about PARANOIA at the fan site Paranoia-Live.net, and follow the progress of the game on the PARANOIA development blog.

  21. Could this be used as a soldering tool? by ravenspear · · Score: 3, Insightful

    i.e. is it strong enough to melt metal?

    1. Re:Could this be used as a soldering tool? by dark_requiem · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yeah, time to throw out the dremmel.

    2. Re:Could this be used as a soldering tool? by human+bean · · Score: 3, Informative

      Sure. You just have to focus it finely enough. Chip vias and leads are often soldered or cut with just five milliwatts worth of laser light, but they are focused down to dots of less than a thousandth of an inch or so in size.

      A decent soldering iron is only about fifteen watts, and you lose most of that to the surroundings rather than the work.

      --

      *whup* "Get along, little electrons. Heeyah!"

    3. Re:Could this be used as a soldering tool? by Novous · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Of course! Until it reflects and solders your eyes...

  22. Re:Crap like this... by Shippy · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Agreed. I don't think this guy should be able to sell these things to just anyone. Well... he says "responsible adults", but I doubt he's doing background checks. Assuming our Department of Homeland Security isn't a complete joke, shouldn't they have some issues with this?

    --
    -Shippy
  23. Re:Uses and mods for this laser. by Danse · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yeah.. but it wouldn't be very good as a sniper rifle.. hard to get them to hold still for 30 seconds or so while you burn a hole through them...

    --
    It's not enough to bash in heads, you've got to bash in minds. - Captain Hammer
  24. Re:Uses and mods for this laser. by stupidfoo · · Score: 3, Funny

    Terrorist!

    I'm calling the DHS!

  25. Coming Soon: Laser TV by VernonNemitz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Just need three lasers, red, blue (not yet widely available), and green, and means to switch their (big not needed!) output power to 256 levels very rapidly. Then a fairly simple arrangement of horizontal and vertical rotating mirrors can scan the flickering beams across, say, an ordinary home-movie projection screen, rather like we do with electron beams and electromagnets in a CRT. Somehow I think somebody somewhere has been working on this...but the lasers have so far been too expensive. But not much longer! Remember Blu-Ray? That diode laser is the last piece needed!

    1. Re:Coming Soon: Laser TV by joeyjoejo1200 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Actually in professional laser shows they use a white laser fired through a special crystal that will change the color of the laser when bombarded with an RF wave www.neostech.com (variable prism). It actually can create 281,474,976,710,656 different colors 6 different colors: red green blue near infrared near ultraviolet and this very odd green color The only issue to overcome is the scan rate and high enough bandwidth to the neos and scanners.

    2. Re:Coming Soon: Laser TV by takev · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I believe you can not easily change the power level, however you can do pulse width modulation. There are also now laser light modulators, that can change the frequency of a laser to an other color.

      And yes, people are working on a projector build with a single laser and that gismo to modulate light. There have been expensive two laser versions helium and argon. The argon laser actually produces 4 colors, blue and green.

      The green laser pointer from thinkgeek also uses a frequency divider to change the color of the second laser. The thinkgeek Laser is actual a red laser that pumps a ultraviolet laser of which the frequency is divided by two to get green.

  26. Now here's a real laser - by slusich · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&cate gory=25278&item=3862662804&rd=1

    Let's see what that does to a paper cup.

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    1. Re:Now here's a real laser - by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The trouble with /. is that when you post something funny there are half a million people who get it, but still twelve who don't, and they need to post about it.

      --
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  27. $699? SCO License or Killer Laser? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Choices, choices, choices...

  28. All fun and games by shadowsurfr1 · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye. Then it's just a game. Find the eye.

  29. Check CFR Title 21 and CDRH by human+bean · · Score: 3, Interesting

    http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/index.html for the governmental take on this sort of thing.

    Aside from that, It's pretty easy to bang together anywhere from one to thirty watts or so of genuine tm00 when you need to. The laser diode bars out of high-end (real) laser printers do an pretty good job of pumping either gas or solid phase lasers. Microwave oven parts and glass tubing can be recycled into a pretty good nitrogen laser, and you don't even need a vacuum pump...

    --

    *whup* "Get along, little electrons. Heeyah!"

  30. $699.00 !! Same price as an.. by the_rajah · · Score: 2, Funny

    IP license from SCOG. Coincidence?? I don't think so.

    "Do the Right Thing. It will gratify some people and astound the rest." - Mark Twain

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    "Do the Right Thing. It will gratify some people and astound the rest." - Mark Twain
  31. Re:What's a green security clearance? by bckrispi · · Score: 5, Funny

    Cizizen, would you mind explaining to me how you came about this information?

    --
    Xenon, where's my money? -Borno
  32. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 2, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  33. Re:Endless road rage/vigilantism uses... by Marxist+Hacker+42 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    At >100mw, 540nm, if your window is reasonably clean, there should be no need at all to roll it down.

    --
    SJW: a person who perceives an injustice, and while correcting it, commits a greater injustice.
  34. Re:One question... by Marxist+Hacker+42 · · Score: 2, Informative

    According to the cache of the website on google- their primary REAL use seems to be for amateur astronomers pointing out details in the night sky (at 100mw, this laser is strong enough to oxidize nitrogen, and thus you can see the beam in the air for quite some distance).

    --
    SJW: a person who perceives an injustice, and while correcting it, commits a greater injustice.
  35. Re:Given that the "old" ones weren't used responsi by HangingChad · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Oh, boy, now you've done it. Football fans over here will be thinking about blinding the wide receiver or the qb. Or batters at the plate. Just enough to distract them.

    Pretty freaking sad when athletes and musicians have to start wearing these any time they're in front of a crowd.

    --
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  36. Re:Given that the "old" ones weren't used responsi by Mantorp · · Score: 4, Funny
    Someone told me that they were at a Liverpool match once and one of the goalkeepers had about 8 red dots all over his body when he made a save.

    So that's the excuse they're going with now at Anfield.

  37. Legality? by AragornSonOfArathorn · · Score: 2, Funny

    from the site:

    "This laser is not legal to use in public"

    then they say:

    "it makes for a great way to point out objects in the night sky"

    Isn't that sort of thing usually done in PUBLIC? heh

    --
    sudo eat my shorts
  38. Plastic cup? by sharkey · · Score: 2, Funny

    That's all well and good, but can it be employed as an airborne popcorn popper?

    --

    --
    "Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
  39. Re:Legality? by Linker3000 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Ah, yes, America - land of the free, where everyone has the right to bear high powered narrow frequency optical emitters.

    I can see NRA members country-wide strapping these lasers to their hunting rifles so that if they don't manage to shoot the crap out of something at least it will become road-kill when it wanders blindly into the path of an oncoming 40 ton truck. Yeah for outdoor sports!

    --
    AT&ROFLMAO
  40. Re:Uses and mods for this laser. by justkarl · · Score: 2, Funny

    Don't you think they'd figure it out after the laser burned about halfway through?

  41. laser classes by SuperBanana · · Score: 4, Informative
    But like the parent said, pump it up 20X in power and you are starting to be able to cause some real damage immediately.

    The classifications are based upon wattage levels which will cause damage to the eye before your brain reacts AND the eyelid closes.

    Anything over a certain class (II or III, I forget which) falls into the 'damage will happen before you blink" category. That's why they usually require a keylock on a shutter or output control, a lasing indicator light, etc. OSHA regs then mesh in with this- lasers in operation over a certain level mean guards on equipment, goggles for anyone in the room, blah blah.

    Over a certain level in mW also requires approval from the FAA to use outdoors [at night] as it could blind pilots. Sounds silly for a single point source, but it's intended for laser light shows where hundreds or thousands of beams- which often sweep/scan out into the sky- stand an excellent chance of blinding a pilot.

    Pretty much all the FAA does is say "sure" and then put out a NOTAM (NOtice to AirMen) saying "there be lasers here". NOTAMs are automatically pulled up if your flight plan crosses through the area the NOTAM applies to.

    --
    Please help metamoderate.
  42. Lawn Mower by Corrado · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Ok, I know I'm not the only one who has thought of this, but why not build a lawn mower out of this laser? It would be silent, energy efficient, compact, lightweight, non-polluting, and cheap to build and maintain. Just mount a spinning mirror to the bottom of a regular power mower and shine the laser down on it. You could even diffuse the beam so that it becomes "non-lethal" after 1 meter or so. It wouldn't even have to have an grass discharge outlet (clippings (c|w)ould burn up completely?) that usually let's all kinds of objects fly out at you.

    This would be a much safer lawn mower than the one you have in your garage right now. Think about it; how many times have you run across rovers dog bone remains and had them shoot out at high speed? What about accidentally sticking your foot/hand in the path of the blade? At least with the laser it will make a clean cut. :)

    Hell, I'd pay $1000 for a power mower with those qualities! I recently paid $300 for a crappy mower and good ones are going for $500. Then there's the upkeep (spark plugs, oil changes, fuel consumption, etc.) that rack up at least $100/year. In 5 year's time, this mower would pay for itself.

    Hmmmm...I gotta go now... /me runs to USPO!

    --
    KangarooBox - We make IT simple!
  43. Re:Uses and mods for this laser. by over_exposed · · Score: 3, Funny

    Except for the fact that they can see the ENTRIE BEAM... Wouldn't make for a very effective weapon when your target sees 1-4 green beams converging on his/her foreheard from a distance... Once he/she starts moving around, good luck keeping it focused AND targeted.

    --
    "The object of war is not to die for your country, but to make the other bastard die for his." - Patton
  44. Laser TV already here...[caveat] by Venner · · Score: 2, Informative

    ...just not mass produced or affordable.

    I'm really hoping there is a push to market for these things. Sony has exclusive rights to the technology, developed by Silicon Light Machines. I've read anecdotal accounts from people who've seen the technology demoed that the images were amazingly crisp and vivid.

    This link for a little blurb & small picture

    This link for an abstract & link to a semi-technical pdf

    Kodak just introduced a similar, competing system, as you can read here. Maybe that will drive the pricepoint down...if the demand exists.

    I know I want one.

    --
    A preposition is a terrible thing to end a sentence with.
  45. Re:What's this on ThinkGeek? by MrP-(at+work) · · Score: 2, Funny

    Shine your laser at random objects, if something explodes it must be an explosive. =P

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    [an error occurred while processing this directive]
  46. Re:Crap like this... by Shippy · · Score: 2, Insightful

    even a BB gun that is just as dangerous as this laser is.

    Uh, can your BB gun permanently damage the eyes of pilots from the ground? Didn't think so.

    --
    -Shippy
  47. There's a reason they call it "DoHS" - Homer S. by jabber01 · · Score: 2, Funny

    A laser like this could indeed be a great threat to our strategic Dixie cup reserves.

    --

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  48. Re:FDA approved... by j_kenpo · · Score: 2, Informative

    No, hes right, it is the FDA. The Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) are part of the FDA. They are the bastards who will pull the plug on public laser shows if they do things like scan the crowd (which is legal in Europe), have laser set-ups that do not have a safety kill switch, have scatter beams from using lasers with AOM crystals, etc..

    More information about them is at http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/

    You may even find interesting info on the from the International Laser Display Association (ILDA). Im sure some of those guys can tell you about their experiences with them.

  49. Re:Legality? by crawdaddy · · Score: 2, Funny

    You, sir, have obviously never owned a portion of the sky before. While you are limited in how high you can build a wall around it, as far as what you do in that portion of the sky is completely up to you. In fact, the sky's the limit!

  50. Re:Crap like this... by Jah-Wren+Ryel · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Uh, can your BB gun permanently damage the eyes of pilots from the ground? Didn't think so.

    Unless those pilots happen to be standing on the ground, not moving around, this laser can't hurt them either.

    It takes sophisticated tracking equipment to keep a laser aimed at a distant moving target like a plane or a car - significantly beyond the capabilities of human eye-hand coordination.

    Given the divergence of the beam over a couple of thousand feet, the "dot" will probably be about the size of a CD, thus significantly reducing the amount of energy per square inch. Combine that with the near impossibility of tracking a distant moving target by hand there is no way Joe Blow could keep this laser aimed at an airplane cockpit long enough to damage a pilot's eyes. That's assuming the pilot was too stupid to turn his head away either.

    Now, if this laser's output was in the 10s or 100s of watts, then you'd have another story.
    But, at a max of 0.2 watts, you are just being a hysterical pussy.

    --
    When information is power, privacy is freedom.
  51. Re:Crap like this... by Ageless · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Nope, and neither can this laser.

    I don't know if you've ever played with a laser pointer or not, but I can't even hold one still enough to keep a dot within a centimeter from one side of my living room to the other for a few seconds. That's about 11 feet. Now, I suppose that if you could get within 11 feet of the pilot you might be able to blind him if he didn't see you standing there with a laser but from that distance you could just throw a rock into the turbine and blow the engine up.

    More likely, if you are in the pilot blinding business you are going to be a good few thousand feet away. Add in to that that it's going to be difficult to find a place where you can stand and get line of sight into the pilots eyes. I don't know about you, but when I look up at a plane I see the bottom, which is usually made of metal, not glass. I'll give that if you tried real hard you might be able to find a tall hill within a few thousand feet of the airport that would give you line of sight to the pilots eyes.

    Now that you've got your hill, and your laser and a plane is taking off (or landing) facing directly at you you just need to aim it right at his eyes. I'm assuming here that you have mounted some huge scope to the laser so you can *find* the pilot's eyes from 1000+ feet. And probably a tripod. All that's left is to hold that beam right on his eye for several seconds while he's moving, the plane's moving and you are moving. Don't forget the beam is going to be spread out some at that distance, which means less power per square centimeter which means you have to hit him longer.

    Is it possible? Just barely with great resources and planning. Is it likely? No. Once again, just buy a $150 rifle from Walmart and shoot holes in the fuel tanks.

  52. Laser as a Weapon. by JollyFinn · · Score: 3, Informative

    There is some geneva convention or something similar international agreament that blinding lasers are banned as military weapons. So the end result for laser warfare is that they make a STRONG laser intended to burn through tank, and the reflections from the tank that hit eye will have blinding result, but thats not the lasers MAIN purpose, an equipment destruction lasers are allowed in the agreament. BTW: If someone uses missile defense lasers near your city, then you should have strong curtains just to make sure that any weak reflections wouldn't pass inside your house. And blind someone.

    --
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  53. Re:For Adults only by jebell · · Score: 4, Funny
    Tell me if I'm wrong, but in the States, don't they sell GUNS to everyone?

    Yes. Everyone in the U.S.A. is sold a gun at birth.

    Fear us.

    --
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  54. Not a too good idea by joda · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I wouldn't like the soldering iron i use to burn out my eyesockets by pointing it onto a roundish surface.

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  55. Two words ... by ScrewMaster · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Specular reflection

    --
    The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.