[DemforBush]

I was wondering about that, too. I’m not a physicist, but it seems to me if something is powerful enough to blind you for 15 minutes, I would think it’s powerful enough for there to be a chance to cause permanent eye damage.

[Secret Agent Man]

It’s something that is usually associated with exposure and power. Lots of power for a brief period could blind permanently, but so could less power, with longer exposure.

[Perseverando]

I was wondering about that, too. I’m not a physicist, but it seems to me if something is powerful enough to blind you for 15 minutes, I would think it’s powerful enough for there to be a chance to cause permanent eye damage.

I'd better go back and reread the article, but somehow I don't think Obama's militarized law enforcement agencies will really be concerned about our ability to read small print after we are lased.

A temporarily blinded person is just a better target of opportunity.

Psst... (They really aren't re-education camps, so you won't be up late studying for final exams.) /sarc.

[MarchonDC09122009]

And what do you wanna bet that the gov’t protects those DHS / DARPA funded weapons manufacturers from liability lawsuits when these weapons cause injury during domestic citizen control use?
FYI: brief exposure to culminated light from a small laser printer can cause Permanent retina damage.
Can’t imagine how they are making this temporary blinding laser weapon safe?
I insist that before this is deployed for public use, Every company employee, their family members, and government LEOs undergo full dosage testing of the weapon in order to demonstrate how safe this weapon is!

[ChiefJayStrongbow]

I would be concerned that these weapons could be used by criminals ... Could blind a truck driver hauling dangerous goods or blind a robbery victim

[loungitude]

I was wondering about that, too. I’m not a physicist, but it seems to me if something is powerful enough to blind you for 15 minutes, I would think it’s powerful enough for there to be a chance to cause permanent eye damage.

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Correct. However if they pass some fed standard for output and exposure time, they will be considered harmless. And we will be unable to claim damages caused by them. Think taser, beanbag, pepper spray, etc.