After being a pioneer in the American internet industry for years, this is the exact sort of thing that you would expect from Barry Schuler. The former CEO of AOL, Schuler, has built his new company Raydiance Inc. around the radical concept of laser sans the heat. Schuler claims that his USP (Ultrashot Pulse Lasers) will revolutionize the way lasers are used in myriad of fields, be it medical or for that matter metallurgy.
Why ultrashot pulse represents a technological breakthrough is a question easily answered. While existing laser techniques are more or less effective, they still pose a big problem in that they depend on heat beams. Consequently, whenever they are used, say is eye operations for instance; there is a lot of pain involved and the surrounding area may be damaged by heat.
USP, as already mentioned, works without heat. These lasers vaporize matter by ionizing the oxygen atoms and then beaming power through those atoms which lasts for less than one-millionth of a nanosecond. This disrupts the bonds of target material and vaporizes it. Scientists are acquainted with this technology for nearly 25 years now.
Raydiance has, however, improved USP’s ease of use considerably. While it was earlier the size of a room, the talented guys at Raydiance have managed to contact it so much that a USP laser now neatly fits a table top. This, you would agree, is no meant feat.
So what is next for USP and Raydiance Inc.? Well, the future is bright and since the technology is on a verge of a major breakthrough - having reduced its size - there’s no doubt that coming years will witness a major boom. The usages are countless (nearly 100 different medical uses have been identified for USP lasers.) for one thing, they can even remove the tattoos from you skin, painlessly, scientists claim.
Another plus for these devices is their capability to adapt their uses by making use of specialized software packages. Schuler is promising to sell his machines with softwares that can be uploaded via the internet (I told you he is a net pioneer!)
Then there is the negative side, these lasers are as easily convertible into weapons (although that day may still be far off.) Whether we use USP’s to make star wars like lightning guns or medical equipments that can help millions, I guess, the choice is ours!
