Consumer Products: Novel Methods for Laser Beam Steering

Abstract

The market for laser-based entertainment systems is constantly expanding. Most high-end systems can produce shapes and images that create a unique spectacle making them popular, especially in more professional settings. High costs and lack of accessibility keep these systems mostly absent from home settings. This makes the at home market a particularly attractive space for innovation in design and cost-reduction. To achieve success in this market, any new design would have to be cheaper, safer, and more user friendly system. This thesis project aims to overcome the challenges of traditional systems using novel methods of movement and control while also presenting itself for use cases in industry. Additionally, it presents multiple different methods of actuation and explores, in depth, the feasibility of a voice coil actuator and linear encoder for open and closed loop control.