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A maker from California named Evan has unveiled a simple 3D printed mechanism that turns an ordinary laser pointer into a laser show!
The principle of operation of the mechanism resembles the operation of a car's camshaft, only the "cams" do not press on the valves, but deflect the pointer aside. The shape of the pattern directly depends on the shape of the cams. The cams themselves are removable, so the pattern can be quickly changed by simply replacing a couple of parts of the mechanism. The device is set in motion manually, although nothing prevents it from being converted for an electric drive.
“The basic idea is to re-trace the pattern with the laser beam. Thanks to the afterimage effect (prints of bright light on the retina - approx. 3Dtoday), you can see the entire drawing at once. For this to work, the outline must be completely drawn at least five times per second, ”explains Evan.
Of course, it is difficult to draw the same star or cat with your hand several times a second. This is where the gear mechanism comes to the rescue, which sets the cams in motion with a sufficiently high, albeit not ideal, accuracy. Almost all parts of the original device are printed, and with a rather low filling, since high strength is not required. You only need to buy a laser pointer and an elastic band for flexible fixation.
