Laser Housing for "Trip Wire"

thingiverse

This is a ball joint housing for a laser diode which can be embedded into any three-quarter inch surface. In my case, I incorporated it into the baseboard at the entrance to my bathroom. The laser points at a photo cell on the opposite side which is also embedded into the baseboard. Both components are connected to an Arduino, allowing it to act as a simple laser trip wire. When crossed, I have it configured to turn on LED accent lighting around the bathroom. The end result is very sleek and professional. You will also need the following electronics: 1x - 6mm diameter 3-5w laser diode, 650nm 5mW (a pretty standard laser pointer) 22g wire, with a length that depends on where you install it Arduino - any kind will do, but get a small one since you only need a few pins There are many code examples available online for this setup, but if you want the code I used, just contact me and I'll send it to you.