A power beaming system includes a power beam transmitter arranged to transmit the power beam, and a power beam receiver arranged to receive the power beam from the power beam transmitter. A power beam transmission source is arranged to generate a laser light beam for transmission by the power beam transmitter from a first location toward a remote second location. A beam-shaping element shapes the laser light beam, at least one diffusion element uniformly distributes light of the shaped laser light beam, and a projection element illuminates a power beam receiving element of predetermined shape with the shaped laser light beam. At the power beam receiver, a diffusion surface diffuses a portion the power beam specularly reflected from the power beam receiver.

A power beaming system includes a power beam transmitter arranged to transmit the power beam, and a power beam receiver arranged to receive the power beam from the power beam transmitter. A power beam transmission source is arranged to generate a laser light beam for transmission by the power beam transmitter from a first location toward a remote second location. A beam-shaping element shapes the laser light beam, at least one diffusion element uniformly distributes light of the shaped laser light beam, and a projection element illuminates a power beam receiving element of predetermined shape with the shaped laser light beam. At the power beam receiver, a diffusion surface diffuses a portion the power beam specularly reflected from the power beam receiver.

An emitter and a receiver in a light barrier system are aligned by placing one or more retroreflective elements in a vicinity of the receiver such that a beam of visible light emitted by an optical alignment element impinges on a retroreflective element when the light beam emitted by the emitter impinges on the receiver. The optical alignment element is activated to emit a beam of visible light, and optical components of the system are adjusted so that the visible beam emitted by the optical alignment element impinges on, and is reflected by, the retroreflective element.

An emitter and a receiver in a light barrier system are aligned by placing one or more retroreflective elements in a vicinity of the receiver such that a beam of visible light emitted by an optical alignment element impinges on a retroreflective element when the light beam emitted by the emitter impinges on the receiver. The optical alignment element is activated to emit a beam of visible light, and optical components of the system are adjusted so that the visible beam emitted by the optical alignment element impinges on, and is reflected by, the retroreflective element.

A DAS system may include an OTDR, and acoustic-sensing optical fibers coupled to the OTDR. The acoustic-sensing optical fibers may have known relative positions within an acoustic wave transmitting medium. The DAS system may also include a processor cooperating with the OTDR to determine a propagation direction of an acoustic wave from an acoustic event in the acoustic wave transmitting medium based upon the known relative positions of the acoustic-sensing optical fibers.

A safety system, for use with a power tool, includes a sensor assembly and a controller. The power tool includes a base and a moving component that is movable relative to the base. The sensor assembly monitors a predetermined danger zone that is adjacent to the moving component of the power tool. The sensor assembly is configured to generate data relating to the predetermined danger zone. The controller receives the data from the sensor assembly and analyzes the data from the sensor assembly to determine if at least a portion of a hand of the user is present within the predetermined danger zone. The safety system can further include a wearable component including infrared only reflective material that is coupled to the hand of the user. The controller analyzes the data from the sensor assembly to determine if the wearable component is present within the predetermined danger zone.

A safety system, for use with a power tool, includes a sensor assembly and a controller. The power tool includes a base and a moving component that is movable relative to the base. The sensor assembly monitors a predetermined danger zone that is adjacent to the moving component of the power tool. The sensor assembly is configured to generate data relating to the predetermined danger zone. The controller receives the data from the sensor assembly and analyzes the data from the sensor assembly to determine if at least a portion of a hand of the user is present within the predetermined danger zone. The safety system can further include a wearable component including infrared only reflective material that is coupled to the hand of the user. The controller analyzes the data from the sensor assembly to determine if the wearable component is present within the predetermined danger zone.

An optical rain sensor device includes a first light emitting element adapted to emit a first light pulse toward an inner surface of a transparent substrate, a second light emitting element adapted to emit a second light pulse toward the inner surface of the transparent substrate, a photodetector adapted to detect a light from the first light pulse and the second light pulse that is reflected by the inner surface of the transparent substrate, and a rain sensor controller. The rain sensor controller includes a regulated current source adapted to apply a compensation current signal at a terminal of the second light emitting element based on a regulation signal, so that a total current across the second light emitting element is increased or decreased to reduce an imbalance between the first light pulse and the second light pulse.

An optical rain sensor device includes a first light emitting element adapted to emit a first light pulse toward an inner surface of a transparent substrate, a second light emitting element adapted to emit a second light pulse toward the inner surface of the transparent substrate, a photodetector adapted to detect a light from the first light pulse and the second light pulse that is reflected by the inner surface of the transparent substrate, and a rain sensor controller. The rain sensor controller includes a regulated current source adapted to apply a compensation current signal at a terminal of the second light emitting element based on a regulation signal, so that a total current across the second light emitting element is increased or decreased to reduce an imbalance between the first light pulse and the second light pulse.

A ballistic detection system includes one or more light sources configured to transmit collimated light through a detection area; a receiver array arranged with respect to the detection area to receive the collimated light in multiple side-by-side channels, the receiver array including (i) light detectors corresponding to the multiple side-by-side channels, and (ii) lenses arranged to focus respective portions of the collimated light, which has transited the detection area, onto respective ones of the light detectors corresponding to the multiple side-by-side channels; and a ballistics analysis computer coupled with the receiver array and programmed to identify a location of a projectile that passes through the detection area by performing ratiometric comparison of signal data from the light detectors, the signal data corresponding to fractional blockage, by the projectile, of the collimated light in one or more of the multiple side-by-side channels.