Lumia Projector Build

Over the past month or so I've been really inspired by the work of flecom, swamidog, Jem, Vidal Wolf, and some others in regards to their posts about their work and experimentation with lumia. It is indeed one of the most beautiful uses for light that I've ever seen, so of course I was never quite able to get my mind off it once I was done with my scanning projector. I know I'm pretty new to the forum in comparison with those previously listed, but I'd like to share my work in the hopes that it will fascinate others as it has myself. I'll post my work phase by phase, so please feel free to post your knowledge, ideas, questions, and answers, and lets let the lumia shine :D

Here are the basics of my setup thus far:
I gutted a crappy Chinese animation laser for the aluminum heat dissipation plate, the green module and driver, but decided to keep the violet and red ones as well. As you can see from the pictures and my sig, I am awaiting a better 500mW violet from o-like in the mail, and so the only new module I have in place at the moment is a red Aixiz at 200mW. I do have measurements for an enclosure and (with the help of my roommate, who is majoring in electronic engineering) a schematic and parts list for a custom power supply in addition to 2 lumia wheels (displaser did an excellent job of making these!) paired with 1RPM 12VDC hankscraft motors.

The only major question I have at the moment is one of heat management. The green (silver) module and the red Aixiz (brass) module will both be screwed down flush onto the aluminum baseplate, but they will be placed very close together, only a millimeter or two apart. Will the two modules be okay in terms of staying cool, or should I consider putting a dedicated fan directly above them? Thanks for your input, questions, and comments :)

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Well, I ended up finishing this project over the summer. Figured I'd post the fruits of my labor to inspire any others who come wandering along.

The red Aixiz module died on me very early on, as the manufacturer did not mention it had a positive ground. I got a free replacement though. Other than that, the project progressed relatively uninhibited. This particular build is special for two reasons: 1) the amazing glass lumia wheels that Displaser made for me, and 2) a 1.3W module I bought on eBay that was advertised to output 460nm. It in fact is a little brighter in hue to the eye, especially when shown side-by-side with my 1.1W 445nm pointer. So yeah, the final product isn't too shabby.

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nice job!

got any video of it in action?

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Originally Posted by Mindwaave

Well, I ended up finishing this project over the summer. Figured I'd post the fruits of my labor to inspire any others who come wandering along.

The red Aixiz module died on me very early on, as the manufacturer did not mention it had a positive ground. I got a free replacement though. Other than that, the project progressed relatively uninhibited. This particular build is special for two reasons: 1) the amazing glass lumia wheels that Displaser made for me, and 2) a 1.3W module I bought on eBay that was advertised to output 460nm. It in fact is a little brighter in hue to the eye, especially when shown side-by-side with my 1.1W 445nm pointer. So yeah, the final product isn't too shabby.

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Thanks Swami! Here's a crappy video I shot in my dorm. I'll try and shoot a better one once I find a better screen (or wall).

http://www.youtube.com/embed/umrx_EHn3V8

just for giggles, think about wiring it so one motor rotates clockwise and one motor rotates counter clockwise and shining the lasers through the wheels where they overlap. you'll need to slow the rotation speed *way* down, but i think you'll like the effect.

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Originally Posted by Mindwaave

Thanks Swami! Here's a crappy video I shot in my dorm. I'll try and shoot a better one once I find a better screen (or wall).

http://www.youtube.com/embed/umrx_EHn3V8

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Nice work :)

Lumia effects are truly beautiful, I can waste hours just getting lost in the light.

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Originally Posted by swamidog

just for giggles, think about wiring it so one motor rotates clockwise and one motor rotates counter clockwise and shining the lasers through the wheels where they overlap. you'll need to slow the rotation speed *way* down, but i think you'll like the effect.

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I'm actually getting ready to try that out. Rewiring the motor will be as easy as switching polarity, but because of the way I designed the projector, I'd need to install some mirrors if I want to change any of the beampaths.

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Originally Posted by Jem

Lumia effects are truly beautiful, I can waste hours just getting lost in the light.

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Eh, I don't think that's too much of a waste of time :P Now I just gotta get creative with my next project!

The pennies soldered to the transistors as heat sinks is - interesting - seriously welcome to the club!

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Originally Posted by laserist

seriously welcome to the club!

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There's a club?

Yeap, there aren't any dues - no meetings - you just begin to recognise the members - and really - the pennies were a nice touch.

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Originally Posted by Mindwaave

There's a club?

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new guy buys the lattes.

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Originally Posted by laserist

Yeap, there aren't any dues - no meetings - you just begin to recognise the members - and really - the pennies were a nice touch.

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Originally Posted by swamidog

new guy buys the lattes.

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Well, at least there's no hazing. (Yet...)

BUMPING this thread- LUMIA is nearly 100yrs old- and the new interest in it is great.
I would like to hear more about using it and the MPE-- Could one build a LUMIA PJ that is eye safe? Crowd scans? and basically the same Q in regards to Diffraction gratings?

I will send these Qs to Greg and Patrick at ILDA- I meant to ask at the LSO course right after SELEM 2013--but forgot.. TY to all who share LUMIA passion and info- this forum rocks!!

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Originally Posted by hakzaw1

I would like to hear more about using it and the MPE-- Could one build a LUMIA PJ that is eye safe? Crowd scans? and basically the same Q in regards to Diffraction gratings?

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I've just completed my LSO training with LVR here in the UK and this was one of the questions that I asked.

James Stewart told me that with lumia you just measure the hotspots or otherwise keep the hotspots outside of the safe zone.
[edit] Measuring hotspots of lumia could be a VERY time consuming job[/edit]

With diffraction grating effects, it depends on the type of grating.

With burst gratings there tends to be a zero order beam right in the centre of the beam which may have 70% (IIRC) of the initial beams energy. This beam can be kept away from the audience. The great thing with burst gratings is that once the zero order beam is above the audience, the weakest beams hit the closest people and get stronger further away.

Line gratings don't split the beam as much, so power will be higher than with burst gratings. They may also create hotter beams, away from the zero order beam, so you need to check a selection of the brightest spots.

Keith

instead of measuring the hot spots, wouldn't it be easier just to measure the raw beam at termination point with the effects wheel removed? there's no way any lumia hot spots will have higher power than that.

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Originally Posted by Galvonaut

I've just completed my LSO training with LVR here in the UK and this was one of the questions that I asked.

James Stewart told me that with lumia you just measure the hotspots or otherwise keep the hotspots outside of the safe zone.
[edit] Measuring hotspots of lumia could be a VERY time consuming job[/edit]

With diffraction grating effects, it depends on the type of grating.

With burst gratings there tends to be a zero order beam right in the centre of the beam which may have 70% (IIRC) of the initial beams energy. This beam can be kept away from the audience. The great thing with burst gratings is that once the zero order beam is above the audience, the weakest beams hit the closest people and get stronger further away.

Line gratings don't split the beam as much, so power will be higher than with burst gratings. They may also create hotter beams, away from the zero order beam, so you need to check a selection of the brightest spots.

Keith

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by swamidog

instead of measuring the hot spots, wouldn't it be easier just to measure the raw beam at termination point with the effects wheel removed? there's no way any lumia hot spots will have higher power than that.

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That's far more sensible. The same as you would do for mirror ball effects (post mirror - stationery ball).

Thanks for the replies-

The one 320mW RGB 3D only projects thru several rotation gratings and as the RC has pause it will be very easy to LPM- I already know the hottest spot will be the center dot in some of the images as it is white and by far the brightest- Once i know that I believe if I have the distance to the nearest person and the time this white dot appears (except in pause) I think that may be all I need to see if the MPE is met.
Considering the 7mm pupil size- and the fact that neither the spots nor the people are really static and the auto blink reflex this PJ may very well be safe-

BBL with some YTube links show this 3D PJ--

it blows any Bliss Light away--and the wireless RC is a very nice feature- you can make the Pj go to one color only or any combo of these three-has also sound response w/settings from 1 to 9- you can make it stay on any one of the EFX.-- it has DMX but NO Ilda- (NO dippy switches)

PM if you want one of these=--TY hak

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Originally Posted by Mindwaave

Well, at least there's no hazing. (Yet...)

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True. Can't afford a Hazer.... yet

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Originally Posted by hakzaw1

Thanks for the replies-

The one 320mW RGB 3D only projects thru several rotation gratings and as the RC has pause it will be very easy to LPM- I already know the hottest spot will be the center dot in some of the images as it is white and by far the brightest- Once i know that I believe if I have the distance to the nearest person and the time this white dot appears (except in pause) I think that may be all I need to see if the MPE is met.
Considering the 7mm pupil size- and the fact that neither the spots nor the people are really static and the auto blink reflex this PJ may very well be safe-

BBL with some YTube links show this 3D PJ--

it blows any Bliss Light away--and the wireless RC is a very nice feature- you can make the Pj go to one color only or any combo of these three-has also sound response w/settings from 1 to 9- you can make it stay on any one of the EFX.-- it has DMX but NO Ilda- (NO dippy switches)

PM if you want one of these=--TY hak

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UPDATE well I metered the bright white spot that we see in some of the patterns and it made 49mW so while I am not sure it looks like this may have too much power to be eyesafe.
At least if you pause it and and someone stares at that spot directly from in front-I made a video about 2:30 long but the music was too loud so the sound part sucked- also the red barely showed up in my vid.Will keep trying and will link a better vid when it happens.