The magic of lasers in entertainment — Behind the technology

It was not long after the invention of the laser that artists began using this unique source of light in a variety of creative demonstrations, displays and live performances. Beginning in the late 1970s, argon and krypton ion lasers were capable of producing many watts of multi-color visible laser light that could be scanned over a 2-dimensional plane at high speed with mirrors attached to galvanometers. The result was full color vector-drawn laser graphics that could be projected on surfaces as large as skyscrapers or even mountain sides. Even more impressive are volumetric areal beam affects that can be produced as the beam scatters from particulates in the air such as humidity or artificially induced fog. Today, advances in laser technology have enabled their use in creative applications that were not previously possible. This presentation will cover the history, technology, and safety issues for large laser light show productions. I will show specific examples from my company, Image Engineering, of how we use high powered lasers in the film industry, professional sports, corporate theater, and with video mapping technology to produce visually stunning displays and productions.