h a l f b a k e r yLeft for Bread
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The most effective method of temporarily blinding an intruder in the dark is to shine a bright light until their pupils are contracted, then turn it off and wait for them to fully dilate again. Rinse and repeat as they say: all they'll see is afterimages.
So, when a burglar is detected, the LCD TV
and computer monitors... maybe a few extra thrown in just for such an occasion... are activated and warmed up. Then the razzle-dazzle program begins, varying the rate slightly so's the second-storeyman isn't able to simply close their eyes before a flash.
Unlike an audio alarm of sufficient volume to cause disorientation, the homeowner, being familiar with the layout, can simply close their eyes and go hit the "deactivate" button if it turns out to be the cat again. The homeowner could even sleep through it.
http://en.wikipedia...ki/Jasper_Maskelyne
[not_morrison_rm, Nov 30 2011]
Photosensitive Epilepsy
http://en.wikipedia...osensitive_epilepsy
As mentioned in an annotation. [Vernon, Dec 01 2011]
[link]
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Why limit it to white? Multiple colours might be even more confusing, and cause the burglar to mistake the layout of objects in the room, leading to hilarious pratfalls. [+] |
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Hang on. You're saying that flashing monitors and
TVs will be sufficient to dazzle and then disorient a
burglar? I find that hard to believe. |
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It might work for a few seconds, especially if paired with
an audio component. Joe Homeowner may not be so quick
to react, but in our household a few seconds is all we
need. |
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Emergency strobes in every ceiling corner would probably
work better. |
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But with a fast strobelight it's possible to coordinate movement somewhat. |
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Mostly the time in between flashes would be just enough for the pupils to return to wide open... a little randomized because we don't want the burglar simply shutting their eyes when they know it's going to flash. |
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You are assuming that the burglar won't sue you when he gets disoriented and stubs his toe? |
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Personally, I'm assuming that a stubbed toe will be the
least of the burglar's problems, but responces may vary
from one home to the next. |
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//It might work for a few seconds,// I may be
prejudicially misinformed, but I was under the
impression that most burglaries were committed by
yoof, who voluntarily spend hours at a time in
confined places where they are battered with loud
noises and flashing lights. |
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It's all about timing: flash goes off and the pupils contract then slowly open up then the flash goes off again. The burglar would just end up seeing afterimages. |
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//To mask the Suez Canal he built a revolving cone of mirrors that created a wheel of spinning light nine miles wide, meant to dazzle and disorient enemy pilots so that their bombs would fall off-target.// |
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Maybe check out the flash rate on Jasper Maskelyne idea...see link |
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^ couldn't find flash rate, though I've decided that I want an inflatable Sherman tank for Xmas. |
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Some people can have an epileptic fit triggered by an appropriate sequence of rapidly flashing lights (link). The burglar so affected may have a valid lawsuit potential. |
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I doubt it. He wasn't invited in to view the light show, he's
a party-crasher; it's not our fault that he wasn't here when
we read the disclaimer out loud. |
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Re: law suits:
Put a small printed disclaimer next to the front door, warning of strobes (etc), signed and dated.
Have burglars successfully sued for this kind of crap (getting injured while breaking-and-entering) in the USA? |
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Yes, but it doesn't always work. The successful cases are
usually brought against businesses rather than private
homeowners. |
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