The veiling-glare laser is a proposed
laser dazzler
A dazzler is a non-lethal weapon which uses intense directed radiation to temporarily disorient its target with flash blindness. They can effectively deter further advances, regardless of language or cultural barriers, but can also be used for ...
, a
non-lethal weapon
Non-lethal weapons, also called nonlethal weapons, less-lethal weapons, less-than-lethal weapons, non-deadly weapons, compliance weapons, or pain-inducing weapons are weapons intended to be less likely to kill a living target than convention ...
which would use light in the
ultraviolet
Ultraviolet radiation, also known as simply UV, is electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths of 10–400 nanometers, shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiation is present in sunlight and constitutes about 10% of ...
(UV) range. The intended effect would be to cause
fluorescence
Fluorescence is one of two kinds of photoluminescence, the emission of light by a substance that has absorbed light or other electromagnetic radiation. When exposed to ultraviolet radiation, many substances will glow (fluoresce) with colore ...
in the
lens of the eye
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'') ...
, producing intense
glare
Glare may refer to:
* Glare (vision), difficulty seeing in the presence of very bright light
* Glaring, a facial expression of squinted eyes and look of contempt
* A call collision in telecommunications
* GLARE, Glass reinforced aluminium, an ...
and making clear vision impossible. In September 2002, the
Joint Nonlethal Weapons Directorate announced the proposal was under development.
It is intended to have three key advantages over previous laser dazzlers which operate in visible wavelengths:
* the power levels used can be lower, so there is in theory less risk of eye damage;
* the location of the laser is not apparent to the target; and
* it has a wide angle of effectiveness.
However, the proposal has been seriously questioned. ''
New Scientist
''New Scientist'' is a popular science magazine covering all aspects of science and technology. Based in London, it publishes weekly English-language editions in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. An editorially separate organ ...
'' quoted two experts, Tom van den Berg of the Netherlands Ophthalmic Research Institute and Bill Stark of
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis University (SLU) is a private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit research university in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Founded in 1818 by Louis William Valentine DuBourg, it is the oldest university west of the Missi ...
, as suggesting that at the requisite power levels the use of UV wavelengths is in itself questionable and could damage the lens, almost definitely causing
cataract
A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens (anatomy), lens of the eye that leads to a visual impairment, decrease in vision of the eye. Cataracts often develop slowly and can affect one or both eyes. Symptoms may include faded colours, blurry or ...
s.
In addition Professor Stark (an expert in the effects of UV light on eyes) questioned whether the idea could work at all: "My experience suggests that such fluorescence does not cause significant amounts of glare."
See also
*
Dazzler weapon
External links
"'Safe' laser weapon comes under fire" ''New Scientist'', 8 September 2002
{{DEFAULTSORT:Veiling-Glare Laser
Non-lethal weapons
Directed-energy weapons of the United States