Alibaba hosts large numbers of sellers offering industrial and unusual laser products configured to resemble handguns or space-age rifles. Handheld laser obstacle-removal machines are sold for roughly $885 to $1,150, with higher-power options such as a 1kW remote-controlled igniter priced around $1,600. A 1kW laser can theoretically cut through several millimeters of stainless or carbon steel and can be sufficient to cause blindness. Laser safety guidance from the University of Utah indicates that beams around 500mW for a quarter of a second can cause permanent eye damage from exposures as short as 1/100th of a second. Higher power devices fall into highly dangerous categories where reflected light can still be hazardous to skin and eyes within the hazard zone.
"Although there are legitimate industrial-grade laser systems available on the conventional market, a motivated chaos enthusiast could easily get their hands on a pallet of handheld alternatives, like the pastel-colored "400W-500W handheld laser obstacle removal machine" sold on Alibaba by Shenzhen Liyang Welding Equipment Co Ltd for $885 to $1,150, depending on the model number and order size."
"If you're willing to shell out a little more, you could get your hands on the 1kW, 58V "remote-controlled igniter." Sold by Gonglian International Trade (Nanjing) Co Ltd for just $1,600, a laser of this power can theoretically cut through 6mm of stainless or carbon steel, and is more than enough to cause blindness."
"According to a presentation on laser safety by the University of Utah's Department of Physics and Astronomy, beams which can radiate 500mW for a quarter of a second "can easily cause permanent eye damage from exposures of 1/100th of a second or less.""
"At double the radiant power, the laser rifle sold by Gonglian Trade Co would fall under the classification of "highly dangerous," where even reflected laser light can "be hazardous to skin and eye within the nominal hazard zone.""
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