https://github.com/jdesbonnet/RCWL-0516

The main problem is too sensitive, any motion at all, through drywall, cats, lions, neighbours triggers it.

Under $0.50 (delivered) is a lot safer than burning out the eyes of cats, lions, neighbours and myself.

While this project looks like a lot of fun, Leonard Hofstadter might disagree. “Sorry guys, but Secret Agent Laser Obstacle Lunch is just stupid.”

I guess I was going for a more simple ‘Sound an alarm when a laser beam was broken’ idea :-)

I love it. Keep the ideas and projects flowing!

I am of two minds regarding this project. First I applaud Estefannie for her idea and her ability to bring this together. I had a similar idea years ago that was based on an array of mirrors with a single laser and a single detector.

But, having also worked in an industry where laser safety was emphasized and enforced, I cringed a bit when I saw that this project used 10 lasers.

I think if anything this article should have:
1) a big laser safety warning on it
2) laser safety glasses in the component list
3) The words “Must be built with adult supervision” and “Never look directly at a laser”

As a technician working in a school physics lab we are limited to lasers less than 1mw in power and then under strictly controlled coditions. Some of the lasers sold as 1mw are much brighter and DO pose a risk to eysight either looking into the beam or its reflection.
Be careful. You only get one pair of eyes and developing a robotic seeing eye dog (pi powered of course) wont be easy.

Hey Mark Ewert,

8 corners! That’s right had a slight brain freeze.

I did consider using a mirror but calibrating was hard enough as it was. I was able to get a good deal on those lasers and decided to use them all in the end. Why would you eliminate the PI? How would you take the picture, tweet it, and expose the thief?

Not sure if you are the one who is trolling, Enverex. When you worked with Lasers, you should have received instructions that apply both to heavy industrial stuff and also to solid state lasers, even if they are low power laser diodes. Your eyes aren’t made to withstand coherent light at these intensities.

With a working background in Laser physics as well as actually having worked with Laser devices I know for sure that even the low power laser diodes with their short coherence length due to their solid state resonator design are classified devices for good reason. The normal eye reflex isn’t going to protect you under somesome circumstances but not many. The story proves this because Esteffanie got actually burned (sunglasses). This is not about don’t tell people about such projects but about educating them first about safe and proper handling of laser devices. And laser diodes are not children’s toys, unless you happen to have very aware children.

You will need 8 corners, actually, instead of 4 (we’re in 3-D!)

Did you consider using one laser and front-surface mirrors to bounce the laser around the cube? That would reduce the wiring, laser emissions, and cost but would make calibration more difficult. Could even eliminate the PI altogether.

Best Wishes

Not sure if you’re trolling or just trying to sound smart Lazarry, but these are such low power lasers that there isn’t risk of injury even if shone directly into your eyes. Not sure why you’re comparing high-power industrial lasers to low power devices like this.