Wow! How is this done??

[sugeek]

Is the dust on the wheel and mirrors an old lumia trick?

I took the picture after picking it up from a planetarium's store room for another PL member. That was their dust to clean up!

[mixedgas]

One of the effects your looking at is most likely done with a sychronous spinning dove prism. Sychronous with the scanning software.

Other effects are done with mirror and prism arrays or their equvalents made in custom diffractive optics.

Steve

[Bradfo69]

One of the effects your looking at is most likely done with a sychronous spinning dove prism. Sychronous with the scanning software.

Other effects are done with mirror and prism arrays or their equvalents made in custom diffractive optics.

Steve

Thanks Steve!

Now, for those of us that only possess the amount of laser knowledge contained in the nail bed of the little toe on your left foot, could you elaborate a little? What's a dove prism and how would one attempt to "synchronize" it with software?

Or... should Google be my friend?

[swamidog]

a dove prism is used for projection rotation. you can get them at edmund.

Thanks Steve!

Now, for those of us that only possess the amount of laser knowledge contained in the nail bed of the little toe on your left foot, could you elaborate a little? What's a dove prism and how would one attempt to "synchronize" it with software?

Or... should Google be my friend?

[Bradfo69]

Humm... another good reason Edmunds is only about a 35 minute drive from home!

[Earthnik]

Anyone here remember Barney Kaelin (rest his soul) from Laser Magic in Los Angeles? He spent a good deal of his career working on the definitive music visualization technique for laser display. One of the most innovative (and beautifully fascinating) innovations he came up with utilized a dove prism and selective diffusion. The array was mounted post-scanner. First was a graduated diffusion wheel which went from completely uninterrupted to a blob of light. Beyond that he had the prism mounted in a VERY custom, very precise, closed loop motor where the rotor was hollow and housed the prism in the middle.

With minute variations in scan speed he could go from abstract to remarkable kaleidoscope symmetry ... but the wonder didn't stop there. What was most amazing about his system is that there was an organic mixing of color unachievable by any other method. I remember standing in his studio with my jaw on the floor and asking him where the hell he was getting those huge areas of a peach color I had never before seen coming out of a laser. He said, "It just happens."

[Bradfo69]

So... which one do I want to buy to experiment??

http://www.edmundoptics.com/products...productid=2034

What is the difference between aluminum coated, uncoated and VIS O coated? I'm thinking something in the 20 - 25mm range is right? Maybe 15 in a pinch although that seems kinda small.

Want it... need it...gotta have it!!

[Jem]

Want it... need it...gotta have it!!

Them babies aren't cheap, you gotta post some pic's as soon as you're up and running with it Brad

[mixedgas]

Thanks Steve!

Now, for those of us that only possess the amount of laser knowledge contained in the nail bed of the little toe on your left foot, could you elaborate a little? What's a dove prism and how would one attempt to "synchronize" it with software?

Or... should Google be my friend?

Perhaps I said too much, but the mention of Barney made it worth it.
Motor speed is very critical. So you can either use a synchronous motor and vary the software, or phase lock the motor speed to the frame rate.
The large, special bearings are the fun part. I have a few I can sell you cheap.

You will not see our "friends" overseas make this effect into the "Super EggRoll Galaxy" box anytime soon. Takes good experimental effort or a good lathe to do correctly.

You just want AR coated at the most, no Aluminum. Al Coated Doves do something different then rotation.

Cough Anchor Optics Cough....


Steve


Steve

[planters]

I used to think lumia was limited to rotating broken pieces of shower doors.

These are bridging the gap between random swirls of colors and completely deterministic scanner based displays. They are SURPRISINGLY beautiful.

I was looking at diffraction gratings some time ago and they all seem...booooring, a line of spots or a grid of spots and maybe a slightly rounder grid of spots. Are there any sources of really interesting diffraction effects as in HOE or computer generated targets. How about a resource for good lumia optics?

The dove prism is a good idea, a lot easier than rotating the whole lumia set up.
Steve, Anchor is Edmond. They are cheaper,but you get what you pay for.
.