2022 is just a few short days away and that means a time for reflection on the year we’ve just had. We saw the pandemic continue, supply chains get slogged, and inflation increase global costs, but it wasn’t all bad news this past year! In fact, despite all of those factors, it was a calendar year for handheld laser technology and there are some new designs to unveil for the coming year.
The biggest improvements were regarding high-power green lasers and high-power blue lasers. Let’s see what general improvements happened in 2021.
Powerful Laser Technology Stability Improved
The biggest change we saw regarding the most powerful lasers was the level at which high-powers remained stable. Previously, green at 532nm diode technology didn’t allow for green laser pointers to get much higher than 500mW. There was a hard cap on 750mW for quite a while, but that finally broke this year. The new maximum output for handheld green lasers became 1,000mW. That meant a substantial increase in visibility and burning power from the previous year. What may seem like an insignificant power level (250mW) is quite substantial for 532nm green in the laser world.
- Increased maximum strength
- Improved stability at higher powers
- Increased duty cycle from 90 seconds to continuous wave (CW) for many high power lasers
- New features including working modes: high power, low power, and pulse modes
- Greater lens attachment selections
- Improved focusing ability for high-power units
- Infrared filters
- and more
This meant a reduction in lasers being “overused” or “burned out” as the devices themselves were capable of greater functionality and increased run times. Increased usability and functionality lead to more real-world applications for these high-power lasers.
Real-World Laser Applications Advanced
More people used high-power lasers for more than astronomy for the first time. This increase reflected on the times and understanding of lasers by the general public:
- Construction & builders
- Fire departments and search & rescue teams
- ATF & Military service members/branches
- University laser research (spectroscopy, quantum entanglement, etc)
- Presentations in large and small spaces
- Goose control lasers & other avian pests
- Law enforcement applications
- Law enforcement laser safety eyewear
- and more
Daytime Visibility and Goose Control Remained Paramount
Most users looking for a high-power handheld green laser were looking for a measure of daytime visibility. As a rule, if you’re looking for a visible green laser during daylight hours, you’ll want a minimum of 400mW for anything over 50 feet. Luckily, the popularity of these units was so high that new models with varying features and safety attributes were developed. So folks had more choices this year when it came to the strongest green and blue lasers compared to previous years.
Of course, not all users were looking to scare Canadian geese off their property. But those who were saw improved performance across the board when operating in fully-flush sunlight.
Make the Most of 2022 with a New Laser Pointer
Lasers have grown in popularity and are used widely for more than simple “hobbyist” or “laser enthusiast” applications. If 2021 was a sign of things to come, laser pointers will only continue to grow in popularity and power levels. Keep your eye out for a true 7.5W blue laser in the coming months as this technology is refined by our engineering team even further.