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The Headlight of the Future Is a Laser

posted by martyb on Tuesday January 15 2019, @11:27PM   
from the blinded-by-even-more-distant-oncoming-traffic dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

Bloomberg:

Most people don’t turn on their car’s headlights and think, I wish they were brighter. Shuji Nakamura is not most people.

The Nobel Prize-winning illumination scientist has spent the past five years developing a laser-based lighting system. His company, SLD Laser, says the new design is 10 times brighter than today’s LED lights, capable of illuminating objects a kilometer away while using less power than any current technology. And unlike a regular, dumb headlight, the laser can potentially be integrated into current and forthcoming driver-assistance systems.

Do headlights need to be brighter?

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Original Submission

• Because low IR is freaking awesome Because low IR is freaking awesome (Score: 4, Interesting) by fyngyrz on Wednesday January 16 2019, @03:51PM (1 child)

  by fyngyrz (6567) on Wednesday January 16 2019, @03:51PM (#787412) Journal

  Why bother with the IR?

  Well, for low IR, because it gives you something visible light does not: The ability to spot living creatures as standout visual items. A low IR system is a huge benefit when driving. Visible light shows everything, so it's totally up to you to spot things. And animals can be very hard to spot. But a low IR system will do it very well and make them highly noticeable.

  Really, until you have seen a low IR system in use, it's difficult to understand just how much they lower risk.

  --
  But, Your Honor, the light had dopplered to green.

  Parent

  Starting Score:	1		point
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• Re:Because low IR is freaking awesome (Score: 2) by deimtee on Thursday January 17 2019, @04:16AM

  by deimtee (3272) on Thursday January 17 2019, @04:16AM (#787775) Journal

  Ok, my bad. I was more responding to your list of problems with IR, and totally missed your last paragraph.
  But yeah, some sort of smart blending of IR/visible, possibly with data overlays, would be awesome.

  One possible problem with the camera/display model is that if it is correctly set up for the driver, it is going to be so warped for the passengers that it will induce motion sickness, and backseat drivers are going to be screaming about things that aren't a problem.

  --
  If you cough while drinking cheap red wine it really cleans out your sinuses.

  Parent