New Side Glow Fiber For Playa Illumination

[some seeing eye]

I'm an optics geek. There is a new sole source product from Corning, who made optical fiber capable of carrying the internet we have today across oceans, countries and into neighborhoods.

Their brand name is Fibrance. It is a very thin flexible cable 1/4mm in diameter. It emits whatever laser color(s) you feed in one end, very uniformly along lengths of 1-10 meters. Because the laser sources are spectrally pure, it produces beautiful colors. You can use a single color laser driver, or a triple laser module, red, green & blue, with control electronics to make any color. It doesn't have the speckle-like characteristic of plastic optical side-glow fiber.

Corning is wholesale only, but you might find out how to get it by searching for laser wire or Fibrance. I bet if you search for Fibrance Light-Diffusing Fiber on YouTube or on the Corning website you could satisfy your curiosity without this post violating the non-commercialization Eplaya TOU.

What do you think? Has anybody used this stuff?

[Meat Hunter]

some seeing eye,

Thank you for posting this information. For the last two years, most of the stings of different colored elwire on my trike has died within the first 24-48 hrs.

If I could figure out how to make and power this product with "AA" batteries, this just might be what I have been looking for to make my trike uniquely and artfully lit.

With that being said, it will probably be more costly than my budget will allow for and more complicated to construct that my geriatric brain can figure out.

I will definitely look into it. Again, Thank You for sharing this information.

[FlyingMonkey]

I've had good luck using bright LEDs with side glow fiber. Granted it isn't as bright as LASER light, but pretty cheap & easy to work with. Side Glow & LASERS sound pretty awesome though

[Captain Goddammit]

I made bright, durable playa bike light strings. I bought strings of tiny colored LEDs on very fine wire, and a roll of clear plastic tubing. I tried to pull the light string through the tubing to create mini rope light but it was next to impossible, until I figured out to cut the tubing into short, manageable lengths and tape the joints with clear scotch tape until I had the whole string done.
Viola, durable bike lighting that looks different from everyone else's, and is much brighter than EL wire.

[BBadger]

It's too bad that stuff is so expensive. From the looks of it, it looks a lot better than sparkle fiber optics, but costs a whole lot more. I think I saw it go for about $22.50 per meter!

I bought some of that sparkle fiber, but the main problem I had with sparkle fiber optics was coupling enough light into the ends. Only a laser seemed to provide enough light, but properly mounting it was a pain. Even then, it was highly dependent on angle and how well everything was bonded together. I also didn't want to melt anything with higher powered lasers. Those Fibrance's fibers seem to have some pre-made laser-based lighting which probably goes a long way into making the fiber glow properly.

Oh yeah, and fuck EL wire.

[Eric]

I made bright, durable playa bike light strings. I bought strings of tiny colored LEDs on very fine wire, and a roll of clear plastic tubing.

I've totally switched my lighting to those LEDs ("fairy lights", which I think is totally apropos) - hats, bikes, everything. Cheap from China, 2 AA's, no worries. I've gotten them for $2-4 for a 6' strand, so good pricing. Never thought of the tube thing before, maybe I'll upgrade the bike this year.

The laser lights look great, but ... yeah. Who's got that much $ to toss at them?

[BBadger]

Those fairy lights are surprisingly durable and bright for being so cheaply made. They last forever too.

They're like the exact opposite of EL wire.

[fernley1]

I have used battery powered fairy lights for the past 3 years with no problems. I use them for lighting my art, bar, and our camp community shade area. Batteries mostly last all week.

[FlyingMonkey]

One more note about the sideglow fiber is that the stuff I have used is usually in a clear plastic sheath. If you completely remove the fibers from the sheath they are small/delicate & potentially moopy. Maybe not very visible & obvious moop but I would hate to be walking barefoot & get a glass fiber in my foot. But I have totally abused sheathed fiber in a multi-strand whip & it held up pretty well.

[BBadger]

Though not the same, the side-glow fiber stuff, that requires no sheath, is relatively inexpensive and decent in a pinch. You can even take some sandpaper or something to the edges to give it even more light diffusing. They come in all different diameters, even up to 8mm.

The Fibrance stuff might have better quality control and light-guiding materials, especially for such thin strands to give off such consistent light. They also have some good laser light sources compared to most of those that are just lamps.

[FlyingMonkey]

Though not the same, the side-glow fiber stuff, that requires no sheath, is relatively inexpensive and decent in a pinch. You can even take some sandpaper or something to the edges to give it even more light diffusing. They come in all different diameters, even up to 8mm.

The Fibrance stuff might have better quality control and light-guiding materials, especially for such thin strands to give off such consistent light. They also have some good laser light sources compared to most of those that are just lamps.

I've always shy'd away from LASERs because I don't know what can be considered safe or not. But I am really intrigued with the LASER/Side Glow combination. I'm not burning this year so maybe I can come up with something for 2017.

Anyone have good sources for surface mount or small LASER diodes that won't burn retinas?

[simplyluck]

Just stumbled upon this stuff http://www.ellumiglow.com/laser-wire called Laser Wire, looks like side glow fiber but super flexible and "spaghetti" like (I'm not sure how much this really differs from side glow). Probably too expensive for me to try out but it looks cool so I had to share

[some seeing eye]

Anyone have good sources for surface mount or small LASER diodes that won't burn retinas?

That is not going to happen. The optical coupling between a laser diode, output and FDA safety classification is a very specialized field. Diode lasers need a specific power supply. Buy prebuilt. If it is from China, safety not guaranteed, and verify the FDA laser class certification. Plastic optical fibers are generally large diameter. I have never heard of a laser illumination source designed to couple to them. Keep in mind that the far end of the side glow fiber emits potentially unsafe light if the fiber were to be illuminated by a laser.

It is very important to know that laser pointers and free space lasers are strictly prohibited within BRC unless approved by the Artery. That is because a staffer "was gifted" a burned retina.

On the playa at night eyes are usually dark adapted, with the pupil wide. That is especially dangerous for retinal damage. If your pupillary response is slowed by drugs, including alcohol, well there is that.

The intensity of at the fiber connector of a fiber coupled laser is not safe for retinas. It is not even classified by the FDA. I had to write up a technician who did not understand fiber coupled laser safety. As we say, do not look into the laser or look into the fiber with your remaining good retina!

(I think I got the laser policy right, if not, Mods, please weigh in)

[FlyingMonkey]

Anyone have good sources for surface mount or small LASER diodes that won't burn retinas?

That is not going to happen. The optical coupling between a laser diode, output and FDA safety classification is a very specialized field. Diode lasers need a specific power supply. Buy prebuilt. If it is from China, safety not guaranteed, and verify the FDA laser class certification. Plastic optical fibers are generally large diameter. I have never heard of a laser illumination source designed to couple to them. Keep in mind that the far end of the side glow fiber emits potentially unsafe light if the fiber were to be illuminated by a laser.

It is very important to know that laser pointers and free space lasers are strictly prohibited within BRC unless approved by the Artery. That is because a staffer "was gifted" a burned retina.

On the playa at night eyes are usually dark adapted, with the pupil wide. That is especially dangerous for retinal damage. If your pupillary response is slowed by drugs, including alcohol, well there is that.

The intensity of at the fiber connector of a fiber coupled laser is not safe for retinas. It is not even classified by the FDA. I had to write up a technician who did not understand fiber coupled laser safety. As we say, do not look into the laser or look into the fiber with your remaining good retina!

(I think I got the laser policy right, if not, Mods, please weigh in)

Yeah, that's why I have avoided anything to do with LASERS. The power supplies & normal diodes are readily available but if you don't know what you are doing you can injure yourself or others too easily.

And YES, most of what I have found is from China with limited or no documentation. I was just wondering if anyone had a source.

Another consideration is what happens if/(When) your fiber breaks & you have uncontrolled LASER light pointing who knows where. Even if it is "eye safe" it could still cause an accident if it's shining in someone's eyes on a bike or driving an Art Car.

The more I think about it, freaking bright LEDs seems to be the best light source for the novice.

[BBadger]

"Pointer" lasers should be eye safe (< 5mW ; blink-reaction safe), but for commodity laser pointers you can only really rely on regular red laser pointers or diodes being at or below 5mW. Green, blue, violet, etc. are usually 10mW or more; some won't even laser at lower powers. It won't blind you when reflecting off a matte surface, but a direct hit will probably cause some damage. Also realize that the laser the staffer was blinded by was probably 1W or more in power, a significant jump from the marginally unsafe lasers, and that the ass-hat was trying to aim at the person's face. You can also buy safety goggles if you want to experiment.

The lasers coupling to the fibers are more than likely higher powered in order to illuminate longer lengths. Even with lower powers it is pretty good: I tried using a ~5mW green laser on a bundle of side-glow fiber and it worked pretty well.

[FlyingMonkey]

"Pointer" lasers should be eye safe (< 5mW ; blink-reaction safe), but for commodity laser pointers you can only really rely on regular red laser pointers or diodes being at or below 5mW. Green, blue, violet, etc. are usually 10mW or more; some won't even laser at lower powers. It won't blind you when reflecting off a matte surface, but a direct hit will probably cause some damage. Also realize that the laser the staffer was blinded by was probably 1W or more in power, a significant jump from the marginally unsafe lasers, and that the ass-hat was trying to aim at the person's face. You can also buy safety goggles if you want to experiment.

The lasers coupling to the fibers are more than likely higher powered in order to illuminate longer lengths. Even with lower powers it is pretty good: I tried using a ~5mW green laser on a bundle of side-glow fiber and it worked pretty well.

Good info. Thanks.

(warning-thread drift) Did the asshat that partially blinded the Ranger ever get caught? I know it doesn't matter or change anything but I lost track of that story.

[BBadger]

I haven't heard if he was caught. Supposedly after blasting Kelli Hoversten, he disappeared into the crowds. I'm surprised nobody grabbed him, but I don't think people knew what was going on. Hoversten was hit in both eyes, losing vision in one eye, and suffering severe damage to the other.

The laser Hoversten was blinded by was a Class 4 laser: one that is considered an environment (burn/fire) hazard in addition to an eye hazard. They're far more common now, and you can now build them in powers exceeding 7W that can ignite things at 15 feet away.

It is really unfortunate that something like this happened. The playa is a really neat place to see high-powered lasers because of all the dust and open expanse. I've brought my own high-powered lasers to see their bright beams, ensuring that the beam is nowhere close to people or objects. That said, every time I brought the lasers out it quickly became a nuisance because ultimately people are interested and want to "try it out" without realizing just how dangerous they are.

I'm glad that people aren't allowed to bring or use such lasers at the event anymore. I'm fine with "keep BM dangerous" in the sense that people can injure themselves falling off something they climb, but there shouldn't be the potential for people to maim others through the former's irresponsibility.

This kind of incident is what I imagine might happen with drones and why they could get banned. We already have idiots flying those things around wildfires, preventing air-based firefighting because of crash risks.

[some seeing eye]

Thanks Mr Badger! Free space lasers pointed skyward are prohibited without a specific time-place permit by the FAA - Federal Aviation Admistration - because they can distract pilots https://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/lasers/. Yes, the playa includes airline and private pilot flight paths. And they are prohibited pointed any direction by BM rules. That is suplemented by laser safety crowd scanning concerns for dance events and the like http://ilda.com/safety-info.htm[url]htt ... y-info.htm[/url].

[BBadger]

The FAA doesn't actually require a permit for outdoor lasers. They do request that a report is filed 30 days prior (Advisory Circular 70-1); however, their response is only to object or not object to the operations. This objection is advisory, not binding.

It is also workable with the FAA with laser and bright light operations in the vicinity of an airport so long as measures are taken to prevent interference with an aircraft. For example, spotters could be used to dim lights/lasers when an aircraft is within range, or measures can be taken to ensure that lasers terminate on surfaces so as to not interfere with aircraft in open space.

I believe these "laxed" regulations are just to come in terms with the reality of lighting and lasers. Airports are often near populated areas, and bright lights (and to some extent, lasers), can and will be used within the multi-mile radius that the FAA likes to keep clear of distractions.

So don't be an idiot with your lasers. Shining even a laser pointer into a cockpit is a federal offense. Don't shine your lasers anywhere near an airplane. Lasers get a bad rap as is.

I talked to the guy who did the One Mile Clock art exhibit and they pretty much relied on terminating the beams on the hills around the event. They did not receive a variance or anything from the FAA. I can't remember if they tried.

Speaking of variances. If you're hosting a light show with lasers above class 3b ( > 5mW) you're supposed to acquire a variance from the FDA, who in turn will only issue one if the FAA does not object. The variance is more to protect peoples' eyes by ensuring that lasers are scanned or powered to a level that doesn't cause eye damage. This is separate from the FAA because even laser pointers are still a distraction hazard to pilots at great distances.

[some seeing eye]

Thanks for the update on lasers and FAA!