Choosing a low power laser for human interaction

[Tahii]

I've been working on a laser "maze" in my garage, after enjoying one I saw at a local fun park.

For testing I've just used cheap lower power laser pointers (a few red, but mostly green) that I've had around. They were cheap modules I took out of pointers from no-name suppliers (china.)

I've gotten to the point that my system works great (lighting, sensing, and programming) and I want to get it to the point that I can have other people use it. Right now I'm wearing some protection glasses, but I don't want people to need to.

My main questions are,

1) What should I look for when it comes to power, for safety purposes? I am using a fog machine to increase visibility. I'd primarily like to use green lasers. My laser circuits cut off power when they sense the beam is broken, but the laser may still shine in someone's eye for a short period prior to that occuring.
2) Is there a particular source for any laser you recommend? Right now I'm using what's cheap, but I know I probably can't trust a no-name chinese website when it comes to power ratings.

Thank you

 

[Speedy78]

"Eye safe" is considered to be less than 5mW. The cheap Chinese lasers are frequently much more than that. If you want a true 5mW laser I would look at LaserGlow. 532nm will be your best for visibility and I recommend staying with that wavelength.

 

[Blaster]

Its always a saga with what's safe eBay pens do the job ive never killed one but 95% are way overspec some up to 160mw for red 105mW for green and 95 mW for violet ,with average being about 1/2 to 2/3 of that power ..seems sad you have to pay more to get less power but at least you know what the power is,and you obviously have to keep eye safe as said many times before.

 

[Flaminpyro]

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