Pentagon Developing 'Laser Dazzler' to Stop Careless Drivers Without Harming Eyes

The Pentagon is developing a laser dazzler that will force drivers to stop without harming their eyes, according to media reports.

When a vehicle approaches a checkpoint at speed, ignoring warning signs to slow down, troops do not know whether the driver is simply careless or a suicide bomber.

Diabetic Retinopathy - Risk Factors - Symptoms - Treatment - Diagnosis - FAQs
The term ‘diabetic retinopathy’ refers to changes in the retina which often occur in people with diabetes.

This makes it necessary for troops to have a clear and harmless way of forcing drivers to stop.

Green laser dazzlers designed to temporarily blind drivers were sent to US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan for just this purpose.

But at short range they can damage the eye, and a number of US troops and civilians have ended up in hospital with eye injuries after "friendly fire" incidents.

LASIK Eye Surgery
LASIK is a type of laser procedure performed on the eye to correct refractive errors and presbyopia by reshaping the cornea.

US troops and civilians have been sent to hospital with eye injuries after 'friendly fire' incidents.

Now, according to a report in New Scientist, the US Department of Defense's Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate (JNLWD) in Quantico, Virginia is developing a pulsed laser designed to prevent eye damage.

About Conjunctivitis | Pink Eye
Conjunctivitis or Pink Eye causes redness and soreness of the conjunctiva and is responsible for 1% of all emergency visits to a hospital.

Its wavelength means a portion of the light is absorbed by the vehicle windscreen, vaporising the outer layer of the glass and producing a plasma.

This absorbs the rest of the pulse and re-emits the energy as a brilliant white light that is dazzling but harmless.

Amblyopia | Lazy Eye - Causes Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment FAQs Glossary
Amblyopia is the loss of one eye's ability to see details. Amblyopia is otherwise known as lazy eye.

Because the light is emitted from the windscreen, the effect on the driver's eyes should be the same regardless of the vehicle's distance from the laser.

According to Scott Griffiths of the JNLWD, a working prototype could be ready by next year.

Source-ANI
RAS