This Farmer Created a Scarecrow That Uses Kickass Lasers

A team of six mechanical engineering students at the University of Victoria in British Columbia has developed a scarecrow for the 21st century, and it's got more in common with the Death Star than it does with Dorothy's pal from The Wizard of Oz. So in the future, farmers may be using laser beams to scare off geese who come to nosh on their crops.

Peter Rashleigh, a farmer and fourth-year student at University of Victoria, came up with the idea to deal with the geese that terrorize the Saanich Peninsula on Vancouver Island, where his farm is located. Rashleigh explained to CBC Radio One's All Points West that Canada geese (no, they're not just expensive coats favoured by city dwellers) come into fields at night, roost there, and chew away at green shoots of wheat and barley—much to the consternation of local farmers.

"Geese are very effectively scared by lasers, especially green lasers, even at very low power levels," Rashleigh said. So he and his fellow students developed a device that can move a laser beam across a target area, like a field, at regular intervals. The device sits atop a tripod, about 12 to 15 feet off the ground, and shoots a laser beam within a pre-programmed area.

"What we've done is created a device that automatically moves that laser beam across a specified target area—in this case, your field—at regular intervals all night long," he explained.

Obviously, safety is a primary concern. But when you install the new device in a field, Rashleigh said, you program in the corners of the field, so the laser won't shine where it's not supposed to. Also, the laser is "extremely low power—less powerful than most handheld lasers that you can buy at Walmart." Rashleigh explained you'd have to stare straight into the beam for eight seconds or more to suffer any damage. And, to prevent interference with planes, the device is designed so the laser won't point above the horizon. If for any reason it does so, the device will automatically shut itself off.

"The next step is to basically set it up on a field and see if it works," Rashleigh said. "I think people are ready for some sort of solution. Everybody knows we've got a problem and I'm hopeful that this might contribute to solving it."

The scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz may not have had any brains, but this new high-tech scarecrow is the product of a lot of brainpower. Sorry, Canadian geese. Sounds like you're in for a high-tech scare.