Certain lasers are powerful enough to cause blindness when reflected off a carpet or other reflectors like a mirrored surface, said Roach. Some lasers are so bright that they can cause harm even at far distances. The new standards detail safety limits when working with ultrashort laser pulses, including the maximum amount of exposure without risking injury. The guidelines also highlight ways to protect the retina and cornea, and include safety precautions for the skin as well. Workers can safely operate research industrial grade lasers, Roach believes, if the right controls safeguards and protections are in place.
Research continues on the effects of laser light on the human body.
The ABL design uses an active tracking system for precision tracking of missile targets. The active tracking system uses an illuminator laser directed from the ABL to the target to provide the signal from which the target position is determined. Several technologies have enabled the ABL system. One key technology of the ABL is the Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser. The COIL device converts the energy of chemical reactions into a powerful, infrared laser beam that can travel through the atmosphere and destroy targets at very long distances.