Product Code: ILSC2009_1304

Comparative Evaluation of Ocular Hazards from Projectors-Laser and Lamp Projectors
Authors:
Karl Bylund, Microvision; Bothell WA USA
David H. Sliney, Consulting Physicist; Fallston MD USA
Michael Beard, Microvision Corporation; Redmond WA USA
Presented at ILSC 2009

Projectors of varying technologies have been in use for several decades in home and office environments. These include 35mm slide projectors, overhead projectors, and more recently digital projectors. The trend in digital projectors has been increasing luminance from smaller products. This has been made possible by the advent of new or improved light sources and projection technologies. Results of a comparative evaluation of ocular hazards from various projection systems, including a laser projection system are presented. Projectors are classified by risk groups according to the IEC 62471, first edition. The laser projector used in the study is a Class 2 product per IEC 60825-1:2007. Irradiance and source size measurements were made to determine radiance of each of the projection systems for thermal and blue light hazards. Ultraviolet and infrared measurements were also made for completeness of the hazard evaluation.