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California Company Markets A $2,400 2W Laser Bong That You Need to Wear Protective Glasses To Use (vice.com)

Silicon Cali is now selling a massive device that uses a two-watt, 445 nanometer laser to light the bowl of a bong, according to an article shared by dmoberhaus: This is about 400 times more powerful than the average laser pointer, which has an output of about five milliwatts. Silicon Cali even sells special glasses that are meant to protect your eyes while looking directly at the laser when you take a hit. "The laser is not that dangerous, it's not going to cut your finger off or anything crazy like that," Justin Zelaya, the founder of Silicon Cali, told me in an email. "It may sting a little bit if you get your hand in the way but kind of like a magnifying glass."

Zelaya told me that he worked with five other people to produce the bong and that their backgrounds range from "Bitcoin core developer to a mad scientist, like myself...." The glass, which is custom blown in California, is lined with color-changing LEDs. The entire thing is controlled by a phone app.

Each laser bong is being sold for $2,400 -- which as far as I can see is worth every damn penny.

The company only plans to sell 45 of these "limited edition" devices...

4 of 110 comments (clear)

  1. testing by KiloByte · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Sounds like they tested their product -- a lot, and that their business plan involves giving prospective buyers a test drive.

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  2. Re:A phone app? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Be thankful it doesn't have a blockchain as well.

  3. Re:This is pretty dumb by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 4, Insightful

    At 2W, you do need the glasses. This is a Class 4 device. Even diffuse or indirect beam viewing can burn your eyes out before your blink reflex kicks in.

    I was nailed in the eye by a laser once, a few watts. It was being bounced around as someone adjusted one of the mirrors. Doctor said it was pretty miraculous that it only hit the white of one of my eyes, and I was lucky I wasn't blinded.

    Worse yet, it's green. Basically the optimal (pessimal) wavelength to maximize absorption by your (disporportionately red-reflecting green-absorbing) retina.

    When I read that sentence, it was very clear that you do know exactly what you are talking about.

    Mods, get this post to +5 informative ASAP.

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  4. Re:Pot, high powered laser.... by Mal-2 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It seems to me that the whole laser-to-bowl volume should be wrapped in the goggle material and/or something completely opaque, and that the laser should refuse to operate if it's not. That's just a basic industrial safety interlock, and this is pretty much an industrial bong. It's not hard to design a box that will happily leak air but not light. That pretty much describes every camera.

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