Optical hazard avoidance and method
Inventors
POHL, Kenneth Randall • FORD, Alan Ray • WATERBURY, Robert Douglas • VUNCK, Darius • DOTTERY, Edwin L.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-8724097-B2
Publication Date
2014-05-13
Expiration Date
Abstract
A source of light that could cause ocular damage within a given range from the source of light, such as a first laser, is accompanied by an optical hazard avoidance device, such as a second laser, that stimulates voluntary, involuntary, or both voluntary and involuntary responses, either physiological or behavioral or both physiological and behavioral, within one or more hazard zones, such as by inducing gaze aversion within the viewer. For example, a visible laser beam induces gaze aversion, pupil contraction or a combination of gaze aversion and pupil contraction, reducing the dose rate or exposure of the ocular tissue to damaging radiation from a primary source. In one example, the primary source is a UV Raman detector and the visible laser beam is selected to induce gaze aversion.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an optical hazard avoidance device integrated with a primary optical hazard including a laser beam. The optical hazard avoidance device is selected and arranged to project an optical hazard avoidance stimulus into one or more hazard zones while mitigating exposure to the cornea and retina, and it induces at least one optical hazard avoidance response selected from blink response, pupil contraction response, and gaze aversion response.
A detector includes a primary laser having an optical hazard zone and a sensor for interrogating a signal from a substance stimulated by the primary laser. A secondary laser emitting a visible beam is directed by an optical system such that the visible beam is superimposed over at least a portion of the optical hazard zone of the primary laser, and the secondary laser is capable of inducing the at least one aversion response in the at least portion of the optical hazard zone so that optical exposure to the beam emitted by the primary laser is mitigated by the at least one aversion response.
The optical hazard avoidance system is integrated with the laser beam, and firing of the primary optical hazard is allowed only when the interlocking device determines that nominal risk of damage to the cornea or the retina is mitigated or eliminated by the optical hazard avoidance system. The document further describes implementations that use a time delay circuit and sequencing where the secondary visible beam is initiated before the primary beam. The optical hazard avoidance device is also used with Raman standoff detection in which dual-band ultraviolet excitation is used to generate a detector signal while reducing effective ocular exposure through gaze aversion.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover three related inventive features: a detector with primary and secondary lasers using optical superposition to induce aversion responses and mitigate exposure, a method implementing an optical hazard avoidance device with interlocked firing based on cornea and retina damage risk being mitigated or eliminated, and a method of using an optical hazard avoidance device to mitigate or eliminate a nominal optical hazard in a nominal hazard zone with triggering allowed only when avoidance responses achieve mitigation or elimination.
Primary and secondary lasers with superimposed visible beam for aversion response mitigation
A detector including a primary laser having an optical hazard zone, a sensor for interrogating a signal from a substance stimulated by the primary laser, and a secondary laser emitting a visible beam, where an optical system directs the visible beam to be superimposed over at least a portion of the optical hazard zone of the primary laser so that the secondary laser induces at least one aversion response in the portion, thereby mitigating optical exposure to the primary laser beam.
Selecting avoidance responses and integrating optical hazard avoidance device with interlocked firing based on cornea and retina risk
A method of implementing an optical hazard avoidance device for mitigating a primary optical hazard including a laser beam by selecting an optical hazard avoidance system capable of inducing an optical hazard avoidance response selected from blink response, pupil contraction response and gaze aversion response, integrating the optical hazard avoidance system with the laser beam, and allowing firing only when an interlocking device determines that risk of damage to the cornea or the retina from the primary optical hazard is mitigated or eliminated by the optical hazard avoidance system.
Integrating optical hazard avoidance device and allowing triggering only when mitigation or elimination occurs in nominal hazard zone
A method of using an optical hazard avoidance device to mitigate or eliminate a nominal optical hazard within a nominal hazard zone by selecting an optical hazard avoidance device with intensity and wavelength such that at least one of a plurality of optical hazard avoidance responses mitigate or eliminate the nominal optical hazard of a primary optical hazard, integrating the optical hazard avoidance device with the primary optical hazard, and allowing triggering of the primary optical hazard only when the at least one of the plurality of optical hazard avoidance responses mitigate or eliminate the nominal optical hazard within the nominal hazard zone.
Across the independent claims, the inventive concept centers on using an optical hazard avoidance device integrated with a primary laser system to induce blink, pupil contraction, and/or gaze aversion responses within hazard zones via a directed visible stimulus, including superposition. The primary optical hazard is then allowed to trigger only when an interlocking device determines that nominal cornea and retina damage risk is mitigated or eliminated, or when mitigation or elimination is satisfied within the nominal hazard zone.
Stated Advantages
Optical exposure to the beam emitted by the primary laser is mitigated by at least one aversion response.
Nominal risk of damage to the cornea or the retina is determined to be mitigated or eliminated before allowing firing.
Nominal optical hazard within a nominal hazard zone is mitigated or eliminated through selected optical hazard avoidance responses before triggering the primary optical hazard.
Documented Applications
Raman standoff detection using dual-band ultraviolet excitation, including 248/355 nm, with a gaze aversion based optical hazard avoidance approach to enable higher UV Raman detection performance by reducing effective hazard exposure.
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