Repost for new video on liquid lenses:
This is a project that I built a few years ago when I learned about liquid lenses. They are quite useful for optical paths with small diameters.
http://www.supertex.com/pdf/datasheets/HV892.pdf
http://varioptic.com/en/products.html
http://benkrasnow.blogspot.com/2009/07/experimenting-with-liquid-lens.html
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13 comments:
This might be a better idea if you are going to make a lens that big. Based on the work of Joshua Silver:
http://www.eyejusters.com/build/a.php?p=fluidlenswork
OL
Ben, nice work as usual.
For future use:
http://www.epboard.com/eproducts/protoadapter.htm#DFNtoDIPAdapter
What project do you have in mind for the lens? It's a very cool device! I'm sure some I2C sample code exists for a 8 pin PIC if you need to shrink down the whole design.
Hash, this may be used for a client's project. I've recently left academia, and am working with a for-profit company, so everything is "top secret."
I probably could have bit banged the I2C protocol, since it's only going one direction and just sending a single value. I already had the arduino code written, so I just grabbed one off the shelf and used it.
I bet it's something with a laser :)
But what I was thinking was, I dont think larger lenses will work- The Meniscus' shape is only nice and lens-like at smaller sizes (or so I would think) and as size increases, the shape of the edges has less and less effect of the shape of the actual lensing area (the middle). And don't forget gravity- Go ahead and find two liquids with the same density as well as all those other things, and while you've done that, grab a copy of the GUT and a vial of Higgs bosons!
Perhaps a better variable lens with liquid would be two flexible, clear pieces (even thin glass can work OK) with a sealed fluid in between- Varying the pressure on the fluid in the middle (actuator, piston, what have you) deflects the plates, to form a lens- Small amount convex, small amount concave. Pyrex and some oil combinations work quite well.
~~Wizzard
Maybe a small laser :-)
Did you take any measurements on the adjust-ability of the focal length? Just thinking about strapping a few of these to my head...
Pretty cool, thanks for the info!
I wonder how much laser power this lens can handle, or if it would have any problems with infrared.
Have also wondered if you could make a variable focus mirror using electrostatic force on aluminized mylar; similar to how electrostatic speakers work.
Hey, this video was pointed out on Cloud Nights (http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=4878213&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=all&fpart=1&vc=&PHPSESSID=) and you will definitely have a large interest from the amateur astronomy group the more you progress, especially if you can create something in the range of a 6" objective (could be used as a very successful adaptive optics system).
Just have a few questions:
1) What price price range would you expect an eye-piece sized lens (20mm) to cost if one were to assemble everything themselves?
2) How fast can you adjust the focus?
Ben,
Is the driver from the original camera not usable at all? Do you think it would be possible to keep the rest of the USB interface working and controlling the lens without the camera?
Thanks,
Well you were certainly right about varioptic being difficult to work with. Just got an email back to them asking for information about my company before they'd even give a price range for their lenses. I'm guessing that if you can get them in those webcams then they probably cost very little.
Anyone got any idea where they could be brought simply?
This is very cool Ben!
Hope to see more in the future
Aaron
I hate when companies make you jump through hoops to get product. It's not classified stuff, you can literally buy a webcam and get one!!
Do what everyone does, make up a company name... Say you will be in the 100k+ units per year and need 10 samples ;)
Ben, you are amazing!!
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