A laser fence or laser wall is a mechanism to detect objects passing the line of sight between the laser source and the detector.[1][2] Stronger lasers can be used to injure entities passing the laser beam.[3] In fiction, laser fences may have the ability to stop intruders by blocking or injuring them.
Description
editA laser fence mechanism detects objects passing the line of sight between a laser source and detector.[1] Stronger lasers can be used to injure entities passing the laser beam, as in a mosquito laser.[3] Fictional uses of laser fences often extend the concept so that fences may have the ability to prevent intruders by blocking or injuring them.[4][5][6][7][8]
Agricultural usage
editLasers are used to keep birds from eating blueberries by being perceived as a predator.[9] The European Commission is funding research into a laser fence to scare away rats and other pests.[10][11][12]
Border fences
editThe Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has implemented a laser wall system—called LASER Wall—along some parts of its border to stop intrusion.[13]
In fiction
editFilms
editIn the 1992 film Fortress, prisoners are kept secured by laser walls.[4] In the 1995 film Congo, a laser fence is used as part of other high-tech equipment to defend a camp against vicious gorillas.[14]
Videogames
editLaser walls appear frequently in videogames.[15][16][17] The concepts of these fictional fences can be compared to other concepts like tractor or repulsor beams and force fields.
- Deus Ex: Human Revolution has laser grids which you can't get past without getting a Remote Hacking augmentation, allowing you to affect it.[5]
- Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine has a hacker class which use viruses to shut down lasers.[6]
- Portal 2, with laser barriers as obstacles[18]
- Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time[7]
- Titanfall 2 has laser fields to prevent access to areas.[19]
- X-Morph: Defense uses laser fences to kill off enemies.[8]
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ a b Steele, Richard K; Roudabush, Douglas E (23 July 1974). "Laser fence" – via United States Patent and Trademark Office.
- ^ Thomas Petruzzellis (1994). The Alarm, Sensor & Security Circuit Cookbook. McGraw Hill Professional. p. 145. ISBN 978-0-8306-4314-1.
- ^ a b Guth, Robert A (2009). "Rocket Scientists Shoot Down Mosquitoes With Lasers". The Wall Street Journal.
- ^ a b Holden, Stephen (4 September 1993). "Review/Film; A Futuristic Prison That Demands Escape". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
- ^ a b Ingenito, Vince (19 August 2016). "Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Review".
- ^ a b "Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine (Game) - Giant Bomb". Giant Bomb.
- ^ a b "Short Supply - Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time Wiki Guide - IGN". IGN.
- ^ a b "Combining tower defense with a shooter - game design implications". 16 March 2018.
- ^ "Laser bird deterrent increases crop revenue by 33%". www.laserfocusworld.com. 26 October 2017.
- ^ "Laser fence aims to protect crops from rats and other pests". www.laserfocusworld.com. 28 October 2016.
- ^ "LASER RAT FENCE wins €1.7m European Commission funds". The Register.
- ^ Bapat, Varsha; Kale, Prasad; Shinde, Vijaykumar; Deshpande, Neha; Shaligram, Arvind (2017). "WSN application for crop protection to divert animal intrusions in the agricultural land". Computers and Electronics in Agriculture. 133: 88–96. doi:10.1016/j.compag.2016.12.007. ISSN 0168-1699.
- ^ "'Laser walls' activated along India-Pakistan border to plug gaps in vigil - Times of India". The Times of India. 28 April 2016.
- ^ Toorek, Derick (20 August 2018). Congo (1995) - shootout scene in the woods (Videotape) – via YouTube.
- ^ Rudolf Kremers (21 October 2009). Level Design: Concept, Theory, and Practice. CRC Press. pp. 362–. ISBN 978-1-4398-7695-4.
- ^ "Laser Fence (Object) - Giant Bomb". Giant Bomb.
- ^ Hayley Camille; James Floyd Kelly (16 October 2015). The Ultimate Player's Guide to Skylanders Trap Team (Unofficial Guide). Pearson Education. pp. 8–. ISBN 978-0-13-421619-5.
- ^ "Chapter 8: Test Chamber 12 - Portal 2 Walkthrough". www.thonky.com. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
- ^ Hamilton, Kirk. "The Mission That Proved Titanfall 2 Was Something Special". Kotaku. Retrieved 11 May 2018.