This is from 1967 so needless to say, things have changed a lot but this is a charming short documentary none the less.
Junior Member
Superb old CBS documentary "The Laser: A Light Fantastic"
This is from 1967 so needless to say, things have changed a lot but this is a charming short documentary none the less.
Member
Cool video...
LOL could this be the worlds first high power laser pointer and balloon popping @12:51He should be proud of what he started!!!!
Picked up a few safety tips as well, For tonight's show i will just strap a monkey to a chair and test my my crowd scanning... No need to piss around with those complicated MPE calculations.
Senior Member
Thoroughly enjoyed that, thank you for posting it.
Jem
Quote: "There is a theory which states that if ever, for any reason, anyone discovers what exactly the Universe is for and why it is here it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another that states that this has already happened.”... Douglas Adams 1952 - 2001
Member
I enjoyed it too. But I have to confess that watching that poor monkey get its eyes forced open and then taking an argon beam in the eye while the handler tries to hold it steady......? Made me feel intensely uncomfortable. Those were different times.
Creaky Old Award Winning Bastard Technologist
The pulsed argon beam did not bother me that much. The CW xenon arc used to aim the argon did. Mr Monk looked well sedated, but that xenon beam had to hurt.Originally Posted by RonZ
Yes, it was a different time.
That was a Raytheon prototype argon. Something a collector would love to have.
The gas pressure based "fiber waveguide" was very interesting. Note that was filmed before "fiber optics" and CW diodes.
Moving the whole laser, instead of the hand piece in surgery, wow!
I have not seen that in 25 years. Thanks for a blast from the past...
Steve
Last edited by mixedgas; 10-07-2011 at 19:47.
This collector would like to have the OTI-170 Schawlow had on his desk, the Spacerays argon used by Dr. Goldman, and the big blue CO2 (but that one looks like a back-breaker to me!). Till then, the video is and will be appreciated!
I just watched this video again and at 9:26 see a Spectra-Physics Model 140 RF excited argon ion laser at the top of the frame! If anyone ever comes across one of those, please contact me as soon as possible. Even if this post is 10 years old when you see it.
Senior Member
They sure nailed the prediction on the importance of lasers for communications in the 21st century..."Picture phones in every home AND personal computers!"
Fast forward to 2011...fiber optic lines everywhere and the personal computers in every home (or pocket!) ARE picture phones.
Last edited by CountFunkula; 10-11-2011 at 07:36.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote