freaking lasers

[gfish]

One of the benefits to passing through Spokane was that I could pick up the 15 cheap laser pointers my dad had bought off ebay, and start working on the LASER MEDUSA HELMET. What is a LASER MEDUSA HELMET? A hard hat with a bunch of laser pointers mounted on springs, generally pointing upwards but allowed to sway independently back and forth as the wearer walks around. They'll be fed off a central power source, and there will be a tilt sensor to turn the whole thing off it it tips over too far, thus preventing it from (or at least drastically reducing the chance of) shining lasers into anyone's eyes. I picked up 12 springs today (clearing Lowe's out), and worked out how to attach them. (It involved a propane torch and possibly toxic fumes!) I also cut one down to a stub of just the laser modules, since it won't need the battery compartment. I'll do the rest by jeweler's saw when I get back, out of a vague sense of vanity.

No progress on the sunglasses, haven't had time back in Vancouver since I got the packages last week. I'm going to focus on the earpieces and servo mounting for now and leave getting the brass gears to work until later. If I have to go with the nylon gears, which already work, it won't be the end of the world.

Comments

[sistawendy.livejournal.com]

preventing it from (or at least drastically reducing the chance of) shining lasers into anyone's eyes

I'm glad you have a plan for that. Not that I'd expect you not to. But if the springs are weak enough for the lasers to sway, you might still have a problem even if the helmet doesn't tilt. I don't suppose you can put a sensor in each laser, can you?

[gfish.livejournal.com]

It won't solve the problem 100%, no. I'd like to add a tilt sensor to each, but that isn't going to be practical for the first model. And even that wouldn't help if someone was above me, or I walk under a mirror ball. In the end they're low power lasers, with a reasonable safety system, sustained laser-eye intersection would be almost impossible anyway, and this is for Burning Man. If you want absolute safety, go somewhere else.

[sistawendy.livejournal.com]

I heard it from a Ranger: safety third.

[gfish.livejournal.com]

Oh, I should say that the whole point is for the lasers to sway, hence the name. But they can do that up to ~20 degrees from the vertical, with the tilt sensor set to trigger at about the same angle and it will still serve the purpose. As long as they don't drop below a combined ~40 degrees, I'm not too worried.

[corivax.livejournal.com]

Will people be able to tell what's going on with the helmet, though? It's not like the lasers will be visible...

[gfish.livejournal.com]

Oh, trust me, lasers stand out just fine on the playa at night. All that dust is useful on occasion!