Consider a display with typical XGA-range resolution. Since there is a single laser and roughly 1 million pixels, the scanning laser spends one millionth of its time on a single pixel, yet that pixel has to be bright enough to be visible. So what would happen if the mirror mechanisms failed while the laser was on? The laser would rest at a single spot on the retina with an apparent intensity about 1 million times that required to be a visible display. I would hazard to guess that that would indeed cause retinal damage.
During my junior year at college, I fell from the high-bar at gymnastics practice and split my L1 vertebra in half. As a result, I had to lay flat on my back for a period of about a month. I can attest to the frustration involved in such restriction. In my case, it was only a month, I had plenty of visitors, and I could eventually get up for a few minutes at a time with the help of a metal brace toward the end of the month. Of course I also lived in fear that a sneeze or sudden jerk could leave me paralyzed. I praise God that I healed well and returned to more or less normal. In any case, it was no picnic, and I would never choose to repeat the experience voluntarily.
Slashdot Mirror
Consider a display with typical XGA-range resolution. Since there is a single laser and roughly 1 million pixels, the scanning laser spends one millionth of its time on a single pixel, yet that pixel has to be bright enough to be visible. So what would happen if the mirror mechanisms failed while the laser was on? The laser would rest at a single spot on the retina with an apparent intensity about 1 million times that required to be a visible display. I would hazard to guess that that would indeed cause retinal damage.
During my junior year at college, I fell from the high-bar at gymnastics practice and split my L1 vertebra in half. As a result, I had to lay flat on my back for a period of about a month. I can attest to the frustration involved in such restriction. In my case, it was only a month, I had plenty of visitors, and I could eventually get up for a few minutes at a time with the help of a metal brace toward the end of the month. Of course I also lived in fear that a sneeze or sudden jerk could leave me paralyzed. I praise God that I healed well and returned to more or less normal. In any case, it was no picnic, and I would never choose to repeat the experience voluntarily.