Fun with lasers

The inspiration and idea

This work was inspired by the excellent science communicator Steve Mould, who demonstrated in one of his videos a curious phenomena when you combine a laser bouncing off a vibrating mirror. The vibrating mirror continuously changes the angle of the reflected laser beam, and results in amazing patterns that are projected onto a wall or other surface.

I wanted to create a device that you could interact with to create your own patterns; I imagined the controls being analog and intuitive with the layout resembling old electrical instrument panels like below. Additionally, my preferred material of choice is wood, as opposed to the metal or plastic of most instrument panels.

The result

The timber enclosure and instrument panel turned out well enough; I had some patterned plywood leftover from a previous project that I thought would be a nice way to add some interest to the enclosure, and the knobs and electronics are tuned well so that it feels very responsive and sensitive when you’re changing frequencies.

It’s hard to capture how the patterns look in person with a video from a camera, as our eyes and brain are very different to a camera sensor; Steve explains this well in his video. The embedded Instagram reel below is the closest thing to reality I can capture with my equipment.

I noticed different behaviour in the patterns depending on how many superimposed frequencies are used. With a single frequency the pattern does not change over time, and for example appears as a “stationary” oval. When a second frequency is superimposed, the pattern is no longer “stationary” and follows more complex paths, however the pattern does appear to repeat or loop in a short period of time. With three superimposed frequencies I think the pattern still appears to loop over time, but the pattern is much longer and more elaborate before repeating. I suppose if more frequencies are added the pattern becomes even more complex and takes longer to repeat, and perhaps non-repeating at some point.

Interested?

Well this device isn’t something I planned to make and sell regularly, but if you would like to have one get in contact with me and I’ll make a custom order for you. I also sell a number of other pieces at my etsy store that you may find interesting. If you decide to purchase something from me or share any of my work, thank you. It’s really encouraging and helps me to continue creating.