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The best part? They're using commercial welding lasers: > The prototype focuses the light from six solid-state commercial welding lasers on a single spot, acco
by beambot 12y ago
The best part? They're using commercial welding lasers:
> The prototype focuses the light from six solid-state commercial welding lasers on a single spot, according to a July 31 Congressional Research Service report.
- IndianAstronaut 12y agoWhat I find interesting is how the laser wasn't even considered useful when it was first being developed. http://www.economist.com/node/4031227 http://www.economist.com/node/4031227
- tsotha 12y agoIs it useful now? I don't see much in the way of benefit over a .50 cal, and a lot of drawbacks.
- TeMPOraL 12y agoThe LASER as a technology was considered useless when scientists were first working on it back in the old days.
- ganzuul 12y agoWhen do you think those old days were, exactly?
- CapitalistCartr 12y agoWhen I was a kid, darn it! The laser was called "a solution in search of a problem."
- kbutler 12y agohttp://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/284158_townes.html http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/284158_townes.htm... 1960. When the first laser appeared, scientists and engineers were not really prepared for it. Many people said to me—partly as a joke but also as a challenge—that the laser was "a solution looking for a problem."
- ganzuul 12y agoEinstein predicted stimulated emission in 1917. Light amplification was predicted in 1939. Once the maser was constructed things proceeded rapidly. ...I really dislike HN's downvoters.
- tsotha 12y agoWell, as a weapon it's still considered useless.