Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!uwvax!puff!gumby!boettche From: boettche@gumby.cs.wisc.edu (Michael Boettcher) Newsgroups: sci.electronics Subject: Hobby laser show system Message-ID: <2110@puff.cs.wisc.edu> Date: 6 Dec 88 18:51:40 GMT Sender: news@puff.cs.wisc.edu Reply-To: boettche@gumby.cs.wisc.edu (Michael Boettcher) Distribution: na Organization: U of Wisconsin CS Dept Lines: 32 In the past I have contemplated building a laser deflection/show system. I would consiste of four electro-magnets(like the speaker coils), but with the same polarity pointing towards the center. A bar magnet, or another electro-magnet is mounted on a pivit, with a mirror on the opposite end. The polarity of the magnet end within the fields of the four outer magnets would be the same. The inner magnet, connector, and mirror would all be very low mass, for low inertia. The basic idea is that the four outer magnets would repel the inner magnet. This would force it into the center. For control, you would decrease the field of one of the magnets. This would force the inner magnet in that direction. Besides the problem of vibration senitivity for the overall system, what kind of problems would there be for a system of this type. I was wondering if the inductance of the outer magnets would prevent a reasonable response rate. Before responding with information that a > $500 part has more sensitivity, realise that this is a $35 system, including scavanged electronics, and is intended as a hobby device. Thanks in advance for your input. ******************************************************************************* Michael Boettcher boettche@gumby.cs.wisc.edu Student, Univ. of Wisconsin 107 N. Randall Apt. I Applied Math, Engr. and Physics Madison, WI 53715 *******************************************************************************