Mowing My Lawn with a LASER!!!

[styropyro]

this is awesome. people have emailed me for years wanting a laser lawn mower (with a hilariously low budget of course) and i've told them it's not feasible. clearly, it was just a skill issue on my end. from now on, i will just forward these requests to you so they can invest in your amazing technology

[RobDavisAkaMonk]

I know a 40w laser is dangers but I feel that having watched StyroPyro for a while my laser danger sense needs re-calibrating.

[pepper]

Daniel has now achieve his own Cinematic Universe, where his projects from other videos join together. Impeller vacuum, snowcat, even the peanut butter jar has a cameo.

Now we need to see a RAM/ground effect lawnmower.

[Edramon]

When lasers were invented it was said they were solution looking for a problem... I think using one like this falls into that category. Love it.

[drigondii]

When I was a kid imagining my future laser grass leveler, I imagined that the grass would be mowed to the desired level first, then a mirror fence set up around the perimeter. The laser would strafe along one edge of the lawn daily to maintain the same level height. This is somehow just as impractical. I love it.

[randy]

Only mower yet invented which mows slower than the grass grows!

[vylbird]

Some friends and I tried this years ago. Didn't work well - it only cut grass very slowly because it took so long to boil off the water content. Also we has three friends and only two pairs of safety glasses, so one of us had to sit behind a wall and look at it through a camera. I caught a reflection off the grass for a moment, and sometimes when I look at the sky I can still see the retinal scar.

[paxzin]

I actually contemplated a similar idea, about 35 years ago. Despite the considerably 'weak' lasers of the time, my design was to point a laser down, and deflect it from a mirror. If you were to combine this with a video system, that optically observes the laser, a servo could be used to trim the mirror up or down, for uneven terrain.

Now, assuming that you wanted to run this device continually, 24-7, you might want to put up some barriers, for example, on the fences, trees, or other things that you'd rather not be 'cut'. A reflective surface, such as aluminum reflective duct tape, could reflect the intense beam away.

As I watched the portion using the 'rover', again, I think you might have some success, by mounting two lasers, pointing down, and using mirrors to 'double-cut', at the same height, a photo-eye, could be used to advance the rover forward, if nothing is breaking the light of the photo eye, and stopping/slowing down, in front of the cutting lasers.

35 years ago, it was just a thought, but with today's technology, I'm surprised no one has capitalized on this kind of 'green(er) energy' advantage. Keep up the good work.

[jakebennett]

Your design process has streamlined so aggressively this year that I barely see you prototype anymore. It used to feel like projects took years and still looked unfinished but now it's a different story. Amazing!

[burneracc]

Possible improvement idea: put a laser rangefinder on it and have it adjust focal point of the laser based on distance. That way you can mow anything at any distance.

[kalvaxus]

"Just one millisecond will make you blind"..
* puts it on a rotating servo on uneven ground *

:D

[gingermany]

As someone who works with optics, I can confirm this thing is terrifying. Just below repurposing microwave part to burn wood.

[simplylovely]

I love your ideas. I am a gardener with a degree in engineering. A mower needs to be able to keep a lawn trimmed approx. every 2 weeks. Concentrate on trimming a lawn rather than clearing a jungle and you should have less issues with grass falling in front of the laser. Consider having the lasers underneath the vehicle body between the axles. You can point a series of lasers across to lenses and mirrors on the other side of the undercarriage to improve efficiency and safety.

[Ziraya]

The pan/tilt version scorching plywood really suggests that this is half way to being a functional if not practical large format laser engraver, to do murals and stuff; depending mainly on what other materials it can scorch. I have to wonder how hard it would be to motorize your columnating lens system to move the convergence point in order to maintain focus on a plane, then add some kind of system to measure the distance and relative orientation of a wall; and of course some code to the controller to vary brightness based on a jpg, png, svg, etc. Finally you build a 3 walled tent out of laser curtains.

[YEnAPas]

this is exactly what I wanted to do 10 years ago. but to trim the hedge.
mounted on a gantry around the hedge, I wanted the laser to be moved with a stepper motor.
but it stopped at the project level. i couldn't find a laser powerful enough.
thanks for doing it for me. it's great!

[urbansurvivor]

I purchased a goat for $40 and have not had to do my lawns for over 4 years.

[ModelLights]

The problem is tall grass. Mow the grass first, then use this to keep it trimmed at 1/8 or 1/4 inch clippings so they fall back into the grass, and it might work great at maintaining a large area. Might need a much more powerful laser, and then encased in a safety cutting head/shield like a mowing deck. Someone would end up lighting the neighborhood on fire though.

[JasonFowler]

I was left speechless at the sheer amount of awesome engineering you threw at a comical idea and actually made it work. Great video!

[bradleystinnett]

3:35 Imagine these set up everywhere with sprinklers. Beautiful.

[SkashTheKitsune]

me "this is so dangerous, the guy must be so irresponsible!"
also me : "pass the popcorn, this guys improving the device"