Eye-Safe Lasers To Aid Virtual Traffic |
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Anthony Fontanelle
February 26, 2007
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V., usually called and known as Philips, is working on lasers that are designed to project virtual road markings and messages. This is to aid drivers on the roads be more aware of the tarmac that may be ahead of them.
Philips, the Dutch consumer electronics giant, is currently absorbed in its endeavor to give live traffic information to motorists on the road. This is to avoid significant cases of road accidents at the same time to provide the traffic information more conveniently. The lasers that Philips is working on allow motorists to read live traffic information without the need to actually gaze off the road that they are treading on.
The eye-safe lasers are mounted on the top of lampposts to provide utmost intensity. They are also engineered to receive data from travel centers and beam it on to the street below. Philips said the scheme would be flexible, too. With the said innovation, even lane markings could be changed at the flick of a switch.
Eye-safe lasers are meticulously designed to display warnings about hazards such as floods and other analogous perils. This would render temporary signs unnecessary for road safety measures. The electronic giant believes all lampposts could have a projector, and replace costly overhead variable message signs. Lasers can project several colors lest messages and lane markings could get traffic light-style coding. For instance, green could be used for route information, red for compulsory instructions and amber for hazard warnings.
If these lasers are already released, drivers could not only rely on the efficiency of their EBC redstuff when they do repetitive and hard braking because of an impending accident, they could also count on these lasers as allies.
Laser, which is short for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation, is an optical source that emits photons in a coherent beam. The light emitted is usually near-monochromatic. It consists mainly of a sole wavelength or color. It is emitted in a narrow ray of light or beam. In contrast with other light sources, incandescent light bulb emits incoherent photons in almost every direction - the emissions are usually over an extensive spectrum of wavelengths.
In-depth discussion of the laser action can be had in the study of thermodynamics and quantum mechanics. The invention of many types of lasers has been triggered by the growing demand for various light characteristics to suit different applications. These applications necessitate the power of a laser.
Laser was proposed in 1950s to serve as a variation of the maser principle. After a year, the first laser was demonstrated. Since then, the manufacture of laser has become an extremely profitable industry. This is because it has found applications in the fields of medicine, consumer electronics, defense industry, and science.
Laser could also benefit the automotive industry. It could serve as a viable factor that would eventually make road accidents decline to a rewarding percentage. This is now the cause of Philips as one of the largest and influential electronics companies around the globe.
Source: Amazines.com