Posts tagged with laser

Users that often use this tag:
pashdown (2)
Tube (2)
Artw (2)
loquacious (2)

Laser Pointer Hack! A DIY guide to turning your laser pointer into a laser cannon.
posted by quin on Jan 26, 2012 - 20 comments

Arduino + servos + laser + phosphorescent surface + Twitter = Fade Away 1. A thoughtful art project about the "permanence" of the Internet.
posted by pashdown on Dec 24, 2011 - 7 comments

"Using the power of light, we have adapted our technology to address a problem related to an industry which is a crucial part of Scottish culture and economy." St Andrews University researchers have claimed they can work out a whisky's brand, age and cask by using a ray of light the size of a human hair.
posted by Fizz on Nov 8, 2011 - 21 comments

Lasers made from living cells are a reality. Just a matter of time, then, before we're shooting laser beams from our eyes and fingertips.
posted by jfuller on Jun 14, 2011 - 40 comments

A dramatic and surprising magnetic effect of light discovered by University of Michigan researchers could lead to solar power without traditional semiconductor-based solar cells.
posted by Confess, Fletch on Apr 17, 2011 - 19 comments

Scheduled for November 25th, the Mars Science Laboratory - Curiosity Rover will launch on an 8.5 month journey to Mars. Upon arrival, it will plummet through the atmosphere in a flying-saucer-like aeroshell and execute a most unusual landing via skycrane. Curiosity carries a dizzying array of cameras and sensors, but more importantly a high powered laser to teach Mars who is boss, and oh, maybe your name if you let it.
posted by pashdown on Apr 6, 2011 - 21 comments

Laser cat bowling.
posted by hippybear on Feb 18, 2011 - 37 comments

Mind control of C. elegans worms with lasers.
posted by jjray on Jan 19, 2011 - 25 comments

Why we don't have laser pistols.
posted by Artw on Sep 11, 2010 - 64 comments

Lasers 4, UAVs 0. It's easier to hit things at the speed of light. Raytheon tests a naval anti-aircraft laser, and you can watch it go at the link.
posted by Ella Fynoe on Jul 19, 2010 - 58 comments

The "Laser Inertial Fusion Engine" (LIFE) is being developed at the National Ignition Facility. Stewart Brand blogs about its potential here and this video (.mov 128MB) is stunning. How LIFE works. Successful early test shots suggest that the NIF will achieve first nuclear fusion ignition within the next few months (+10 years to commercial).
posted by stbalbach on Jun 17, 2010 - 44 comments

The laser turns 50!, gallery, how Lasers work, more on how lasers work (in more detail than you can possibly want), 50 laser facts.
posted by Artw on May 16, 2010 - 37 comments

Here's a mostly working replica Star Trek Phaser. Original series, of course. Build pics and description here.
posted by loquacious on Apr 25, 2010 - 68 comments

The last mouse pad you will ever need. [via mefi projects] [more inside]
posted by WolfDaddy on Mar 31, 2010 - 66 comments

CyArk is a non-profit which makes three-dimensional scans of archaeological sites with lasers in effort to digitally preserve them. It currently has 27 projects, including Chichén Itzá, Angkor Wat, Anasazi Pueblos in Mesa Verde, Thebes, Rapa Nui and the Royal Tombs at Kasubi. There's quite a lot of material about Cyark online, including profiles Wired Science, a lecture by founder Ben Kacyra at Google as well as an article in Archaeology and an article by two CyArk employees in Professional Surveyor describing how they work.
posted by Kattullus on Feb 18, 2010 - 12 comments

This is hi-speed video of a mosquito getting killed by a laser.
posted by Jon_Evil on Feb 13, 2010 - 112 comments

Life imitates art. Boeing's Airborne Laser Testbed succeeds in shooting down a ballistic missile. No word on if popcorn was involved.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey on Feb 12, 2010 - 77 comments

Hope for a fusion breakthrough this year. [more inside]
posted by Hardcore Poser on Jan 30, 2010 - 65 comments

Awesome Interactive Laser Demo (via) [more inside]
posted by nfg on Aug 6, 2009 - 19 comments

A baby star on Earth. The NIF (National Ignition Facility) is about to fire up lasers to demonstrate the real world possibility of nuclear fusion with a positive energy gain. BBC link with promo video narrated by Samuel L. Jackson. Also: previously.
posted by NekulturnY on May 5, 2009 - 76 comments

Malaria is one of the world’s most serious health problems. No single approach has yet to fully conquer either the disease or the disease vector, the mosquito. The most common electronic means of killing mosquitoes, the “bug zapper” is not particularly effective. Using lasers to kill mosquitoes has previously been thought of as completely ridiculous. Now the concept is being taken seriously.
posted by Tube on Mar 14, 2009 - 33 comments

Jared Tarbell is a computer artist whose Gallery of Computation has been previously featured on Metafilter . Several years ago he began working with the Epilog Mini 24 laser cutter, cutting out flat cardboard pieces and assembling them into complex geometric shapes. His Flickr set “lased” documents his work. Recently he made the transition to a more traditional artistic medium; oiled walnut , for his stunning piece 2222 holes.
posted by Tube on Feb 19, 2009 - 23 comments

Laser pointer import ban in Oz Seems there's been a rash of people aiming laser pointers at planes in Oz. With an incident of a pilot being "temporarily blinded", this action may be a little less...well, as Oz politicians put it, "amusing". Previously. [more inside]
posted by telstar on Mar 30, 2008 - 41 comments

The LED Museum has long been the Internet's premier source of absolutely obsessive LED and Laser analysis. Going strong since 1999, Craig Johnson's amassed quite a range of test equipment. Recently, he acquired a Playstation 3 Blu-Ray Laser Module. Did he mod it? Oh yes he did. (Warning: NSFC64)
posted by effugas on Jun 15, 2007 - 20 comments

Coffee + laser = instant awesome!
posted by loquacious on Mar 26, 2007 - 59 comments

You think these were bad? Wait till the terrists get these!
posted by pjern on Feb 20, 2007 - 30 comments

D00d, nice shades! Also found here and presumably elsewhere.
posted by lalochezia on Apr 2, 2006 - 19 comments

Laser-etched PowerBooks.
posted by nthdegx on Dec 7, 2005 - 25 comments

Holography For The Masses! A magical journey of making holograms with a $7.99 laser pointer and higher-power laser diodes.
posted by mr.curmudgeon on Aug 19, 2005 - 5 comments

The largest and most powerful laser facility ever designed is currently being constructed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, CA. I had an opportunity to tour this facility earlier this year, and the sheer magnitude of this engineering project is staggering. The precision required for ignition has been compared to "trying to hit the strike zone with a baseball from 350 miles away". Although the scientists and politicians responsible for the National Ignition Facility claim it will help lessen the danger of nuclear weapons, many critics argue it is merely an attempt to work around certain non-proliferation treaties.
posted by muddgirl on May 23, 2005 - 31 comments

Lightspeed is a fun little shareware game that I stumbled across today. It's one of those "bounce stuff off mirrors to light up stuff" puzzle games, but with nice graphics, and additional features like a level editor and such. Warning: windows only download, shareware fee to unlock many levels and features.
posted by majcher on Jan 22, 2004 - 5 comments

THIS is a light saber?!? "There really isn't anything out there, other than a baton and pepper spray, that can halt a dangerous suspect without doing him or anyone else harm," Herr said.

Ouch.
posted by rushmc on Dec 4, 2000 - 28 comments