A line laser is a device that employs a

laser A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word ''laser'' originated as an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radi ...

and an optical

lens A lens is a transmissive optical device that focuses or disperses a light beam by means of refraction. A simple lens consists of a single piece of transparent material, while a compound lens consists of several simple lenses (''elements'') ...

to project the laser beam as a line rather than a point (e.g.

laser pointer A laser pointer or laser pen is a (typically battery-powered) handheld device that uses a laser diode to emit a narrow low-power visible laser beam (i.e. Coherence (physics), coherent light) to highlight something of interest with a small brigh ...

). This may be achieved by passing the beam through a

cylindrical lens A cylindrical lens is a lens (optics), lens which Focus (optics), focuses light into a line instead of a point as a Lens (optics), spherical lens would. The curved face or faces of a cylindrical lens are sections of a Cylinder (geometry), cylinde ...

or a Powell lens. Depending on the application, independent line lasers may be used to generate lines, or multiple line lasers may be used together to produce crosses or other composite patterns. In civil engineering and interior design, line lasers are used to assist in

levelling Levelling or leveling (American English; see spelling differences) is a branch of surveying, the object of which is to establish or verify or measure the height of specified points relative to a datum. It is widely used in geodesy and cartogra ...

building sites and structures. Multiple lines may be generated for use with

image processing An image or picture is a visual representation. An image can be two-dimensional, such as a drawing, painting, or photograph, or three-dimensional, such as a carving or sculpture. Images may be displayed through other media, including a pr ...

Applications

* Diffractive beam splitter *

Calibration In measurement technology and metrology, calibration is the comparison of measurement values delivered by a device under test with those of a calibration standard of known accuracy. Such a standard could be another measurement device of known ...

Spirit level A spirit level, bubble level, or simply a level, is an Measuring instrument, instrument designed to indicate whether a surface is Horizontal plane, horizontal (level) or vertical direction, vertical (plumb-bob, plumb). Two basic designs exis ...

* David Laserscanner * Light section *

Image processing An image or picture is a visual representation. An image can be two-dimensional, such as a drawing, painting, or photograph, or three-dimensional, such as a carving or sculpture. Images may be displayed through other media, including a pr ...

Machine vision Machine vision is the technology and methods used to provide image, imaging-based automation, automatic inspection and analysis for such applications as automatic inspection, process control, and robot guidance, usually in industry. Machine vision ...

3D scanner 3D scanning is the process of analyzing a real-world object or environment to collect three dimensional data of its shape and possibly its appearance (e.g. color). The collected data can then be used to construct digital 3D models. A 3D scanner ...

Laser scanning Laser scanning is the controlled Deflection (physics), deflection of laser beams, visible or invisible. Scanned laser beams are used in some 3-D printers, in rapid prototyping, in machines for material processing, in laser engraving machines, i ...

* Laser line level *

Laser level In surveying and construction, the laser level is a control tool consisting of a rotating laser beam projector that can be affixed to a tripod. The tool is leveled according to the accuracy of the device and projects a fixed red or green beam ...

Surveying Surveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, art, and science of determining the land, terrestrial Plane (mathematics), two-dimensional or Three-dimensional space#In Euclidean geometry, three-dimensional positions of Point (geom ...

* Detecting tripwires

External links

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Line Laser Construction surveying Laser applications Laser image generation