Sending Sound on a Laser! - The Science of Telecommunication with Mr. G - Part 3

Craig Beals and Glenn Govertsen from the Mr. G Science Show show how the signal for sound can be sent on a beam of light including how you can build your own laser sound machine. They explain how telecommunications work with different frequencies and pulses of the electromagnetic spectrum to send information across vast distances. This experiment demonstrates how cell phones, remote controls, radios, Bluetooth (and more) work.

WARNING:
This video is only for entertainment purposes. If you rely on the information outlined in this video, you assume responsibility for the results. As with any experiment, proceed at your own risk.

[Bozemanscience]

I remember meeting Mr.G in my first year of teaching a very long time ago. So cool to see him again. Great video.

[pierreuntel]

- Which instrument do you play?
- I play laser and the comb

[goldminerguitarist]

This is GREAT. I wish more people would take an interest in this kind of stuff. I don't understand how anyone could NOT. Great job. Never stop achieving greatness.

[schrnz]

I actually suggested this to a friend when we were in highschool as an idea for a physics demo, this was back in 2002, it's interesting seeing other people do the same thing, he started with a torch and a solar panel, if I recall correctly that was his idea, I then suggested using a red laser and the sound clarity was much better due to the focused beam. He just used a microphone to transmit his voice though

[BHNative]

I can see the potential for a new cool sciencey musical instrument! Really awesome!

[-pyrosef-]

Omg Mr G! I remember watching you on another video website yeeaarrssss ago, like 12 years. Before you were on YouTube. I'm so glad to see you again! I miss your wonderful intros :( please keep making videos 💜
Edit: the website was Metacafe

[AppleOno]

I knew that a laser could be used to make a microphone to record sound vibrations on a window some distance away, but never made the connection that you could "synthesize" sounds from it using physical objects like a comb. This is so cool! My fellow musical mad scientists will love this!

[dean]

Did this in college, in the 70's. Used a Helium Neon Laser and a Potassium Di-Hydrogen Phosphate crystal and polarizer. Produced brightness modulated signal detected by the photo cell.

[bigcountryfishing]

Why couldn’t we do cool stuff like this back when I was a kid in science class? Very interesting experiment.

[pierreuntel]

haha, I thought you're going to do long-range eavesdropping via laser reflection from surface vibration.... it's like the same trick as the laser show speaker as before but instead of the laser projected on a wall, it now pointed to a receiver which could detect the vibration of the reflected beam and converted it to sound. This trick could help you listen to someone's speech from far away with just a window reflection

[VIRGONOMICS]

Awesome
Reminded me of the old Mr. Microphone commercial.
“ Hey, I’m on the radio ! “
:)

[tomstrum]

Did this exact experiment 'bout 30 yrs ago at home at 40' distance except using an amplitude modulated 2000 volt helium-neon gas laser tube... Interesting video, Thx..

[bappa]

that is awesome ! excellent demonstration Does that mean i can point a laser beam into someones ear and transmit my voice to them?
ha ha ha - voices in my head?

[dangerousdavid]

Hey Mr. Beal, if you ever need help with this telecommunication series or anything to do with electronics I'd be happy to help you out.
P.S I don't mean to be that guy, but when you are playing the sound with the laser it is actually not turning on and off, instead the ac audio source you wired in series with the with the battery and the laser diode is modulating the voltage going to the laser (making it increase/decrease). This is why the laser is still on when there is no audio, the speaker only moves (makes sound) when there is a change in voltage potential along it's coil.
Please keep making awesome videos and sorry for being "that guy"
-David

[CircuitdelicLaboratory]

This is beautiful. You guys are the best!

[juliangulian]

My mind is blown I’ve always been interested in sending sound via lasers. Tyvm

[ibr]

This is mind blowing, thanks a lot for sharing

[juliangulian]

I would’ve got a degree in this field if this guy was my teacher in HS lmao more of yall plz plz plz

[coondogtheman]

I made something like this once and I believe I put an isolation transformer between the audio source and the laser so the power from the laser is not connected to the audio source. It's been a while and I was only experimenting at the time but it worked and I actually have two of those mini amps.

[hedonepicurea]

This is a great start. I would suggest researching different types of energy and storing information in energy as a medium of storage vs transmission.

Like a HDD made of light.