Infrared module for Wii remote application

[adamjmac]

I'm trying to find a 980nm laser module with a dot visible to a Wii remote camera at 10-15 feet. The dot only needs to be about the same size and intensity as a normal 5mw red or green laser.

I have 4 Aixiz 980nm modules, three at 10mw and one at 35mw. With an iPhone camera (has no IR filter) I can see a very small, faint dot at a few inches, but it has nowhere near the same light output as a green laser of the same power rating. The Wii remote picks up the dot, but only at less than 3-4 feet.

Can you suggest a reason why these lasers would not be working as expected? I have been told that they are probably bad, so Aixiz sent me replacements which are exactly the same and I'm running out of ideas. Can you recommend another supplier?

 

[HaloBlu]

Perhaps the modules aren't focused for long distance (or can't be).
What size is the dot at a particular distance? Round / square dot or line-like? Post a pic?

Also I understand that sensor gain & min/max IR blob size recognized by the wiimote can be adjusted. Try increasing the max blob size. Might have to search for a GUI that has those settings tho.

Oh yea, and most cheap green lasers can vary a lot from the advertised mW. You green could be 5mW or 50mW, unless you have a LPM or your laser was metered by a reputable seller.

 

[Cyparagon]

Perhaps the wavelength is too long.

 

[HaloBlu]

I see peak sensitivity reported a couple places as 940nm. It seems to respond to wide enough range that I wouldn't think it drops off sharply before 980nm but you never know.

I hope you let us know how your project goes.

 

[adamjmac]

Thanks for the replies. The dot is circular focused, and small (maybe 2mm at 6 inches), it comes with a lens that can be rotated so I'm sure of that.

At a few inches away, the iPhone camera can see the dot clearly, but it it is small. The center of the dot appears white, so the light's wavelength is getting through to the camera.

I have a 5mw and 35mw green laser, and both are probably over a hundred times more intense than the 35mw infrared. I'm very surprised no one has had this problem before. If it's not supposed to be like this, then you would think it must just be my lasers - but ALL four are bad, with exactly the same problem?

I've been emailing o-lite and other suppliers to order other ones and I'm not getting any response. This project is just a hobby, but it sucks to have to give up on it. I already built the rest of the project - I just need a little laser to stick into it.

 

[Dr_Evil]

The IR isn't going to appear as bright as green. You'd need a very high power IR laser to be as bright as green. Then it would be too powerful to view without proper eye protection.

I bet the lasers you got are up to spec. The best way to find out would be to use a LPM.

Hopefully you can finish the project. I'd like to see the completed project.

 

[adamjmac]

Can you tell me why you would need 100 watt laser to be as bright as a 0.01 watt green laser? The power rating refers to the light OUTPUT power, so that doesn't really make sense to me...

I am using an IR-sensitive camera. I'm not trying to magically make IR light visible to the human eye.

 

[adamjmac]

Why I would need over 100mw of power to get the same dot that a normal laser can give at 5mw? What's so special about IR?

 

[adamjmac]

Hmm. Okay, if that's true, then why would an IR led at roughly identical power as a red or green led give roughly the same brightness? The wii sensor bar uses 850nm and they are very bright, and I've tested with my own Ir LEDs at less than 100mw and they work well.