No lasers of any kind?

[purduephotog]

I was re-reading the rules looking for information and noted that, again, there was a statement that said "No lasers of any kind permitted"

While at the competition I saw one robot using a laser as a sensor to determine the speed of the shooter (think of it as a very large non-contact optical encoder).

What's the correct call here? They were obviously allowed to compete as I only saw it at the end of the competition.

I *(personally)* believe the laser restriction is too restrictive- lasers under 5mw and red should be permitted... green/blue/dye pumped/CO2/IR should not.

[GaryVoshol]

Search the Q&A. I believe this was addressed, but I don't remember the answer.

[Jimmy Nichols]

I know when I asked Q&A about Laser optical mouse, their answer was as long as there was no chance for it to ever be directed out. I'm not sure about the shooter, seems to me there could be a good chance that it would become out of line and be directed at people.

[martin417]

Are you absolutely sure that the robot in question used a laser? Many people see a small red light and assume laser, even though no coherent light is emitted. For instance, Many people assume that optical mice use lasers. They do not, only a red LED focused by a lens. Most optical encoders do not use lasers, but LEDs. It is very likely that what you saw was an LED.

[purduephotog]

Originally Posted by martin417

Are you absolutely sure that the robot in question used a laser? Many people see a small red light and assume laser, even though no coherent light is emitted. For instance, Many people assume that optical mice use lasers. They do not, only a red LED focused by a lens. Most optical encoders do not use lasers, but LEDs. It is very likely that what you saw was an LED.

I will go back and review the photos I took of the bot. As of now (which is why I posted it) it resembled a laser diode sinked in a brass heat sink and mounted. The spot was nearly a perfect rectangle/square and it had that funky interference pattern speckle that I have come to associate with lasers.

But as you said... I never did ask

[Al Skierkiewicz]

From the Q&A

We know that laser pointer devices are illegal for safety reasons. But is the use of a laser
optical mouse for position tracking legal?
Re: Laser Optical Mouse
Posted by GDC at 02/05/2009 03:22:02 pm
As long as the laser is not exposed and does not pose any potential eye hazard, this would be
permitted (as long as the use of the optical mouse does not provide any tractive force).

[purduephotog]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

Search the Q&A. I believe this was addressed, but I don't remember the answer.

http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=11746

I should have posted this link first.

Laser optical mice do not, at least as far as most models I can see on the market, use lasers. Thus the response isn't really a response- it says that a laser is permitted so long as it's not exposed- but by definition no laser's are permitted.

There is additional ambiguity around a laser mouse- most people mean 'optical' when they say 'laser'.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouse_(...ng)#Laser_mice

I guess I'll be writing a followup.

[Jimmy Nichols]

Originally Posted by purduephotog

http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=11746

There is additional ambiguity around a laser mouse- most people mean 'optical' when they say 'laser'.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouse_(...ng)#Laser_mice

I meant lasrer. I posted the original question to Q&A about the use of a laser mouse.