Scanguard Professional is the ultimate software tool to help identify and correct hazards in laser show applications. It contains all the features that exist in the Standard Edition, but adds the ability to perform detailed analysis on dynamic laser effects and sequences in the form of ILDA animation files. The Professional version also implements sophisticated digital signal processing algorithms to simulate the effect of projecting laser effects through galvanometers.

A typical user of this version of the software is someone who wants to be able to check the energy levels and exposures in complex laser effects. The ILDA animated effect analysis screen has an interactive analysis mode where the user can pick any part of the display area with a mouse, and find out when the energy pulses occur, how often, and how much laser energy is contained in each of them. All of this information can be used to help in deciding the measurement strategy and to provide you with an idea of what you should be looking for when taking the measurements.

Plots, graphs, as well as numeric data are all used to convey the results of the Scanguard analysis, so that you can see clearly how the laser effect is performing. Furthermore, Scanguard provides helpful tips and explanations about the results, as well as suggestions on how to reduce the hazard, should the exposures be excessive. The results Scanguard generates can be saved, exported or printed so that they can be used with your risk assessment documentation.


1. Animated Complex Laser Effects Analysis
2. Galvanometer Movement Response Simulation
3. Scanned Laser Effect Analysis
4. ILDA Frame Laser Effect Energy Distribution
5. Mirror Ball Sweeping Beam Effect Analysis
6. Line and Tunnel Diffraction Grating Analysis
7. Diffuse Reflections
8. Measurement Toolbox
9. Single and Multiple Wavelength and Beam Analysis
10. MPE, Wavelength, and Hazard Classification Reference
11. Outdoor Airspace Calculations
12. Scientific Safety Calculation Tools
13. Store Laser Projector and Effects Parameters
14. ANSI and IEC Notation

1. Animated Complex Laser Effects Analysis

Modern laser effects generated on a PC can consist of complex and multiple objects changing size, colour, shape and position making even a short 5 second sequence difficult to assess manually. Using the Scanguard Pro it is a straightforward process to import such effects into the software, where the energy content of every single frame is closely checked and the results presented in a clear and meaningful form that can then be used to determine the exposure levels and what parts of the effect are best suited to checking with measurement instruments. Scanguard Pro is the first software in the world to allow users to get such a detailed view of the energy levels in their laser effects.

The galvanometers found in most laser projectors and used to create the majority of laser effects have a limited bandwidth, and normally followed a “tuned” frequency response. The effect being that the control signal from the computer system will be slightly different to that which the galvanometers can reproduce. (A good example of this is the standard ILDA test pattern which on a PC shows the circle outside the square in the centre of the pattern. However what should be projecting from a properly tuned pair of galvanometers is a circle inside of the square). The limited frequency response can lead to a difference in the actual exposure from the calculated exposure. Simulating the response of the galvanometers helps to reduce this occurrence.

3. Scanned Laser Effect Analysis

• Scanguard Standard Edition allows you to check how classic laser effects such as flat scans, beam sweeps and tunnels all perform in terms of laser safety. The input parameters are fully customisable so that you can alter the laser effect's scan angle, the scan speed and the sweep rate.

• Learn how to design effects that are more audience scanning friendly by watching how the exposure levels change as you alter the effect's parameters. Scanguard even plots graphs of how the changes influence the laser radiation exposure.

• Use these tools to build up a repertoire of laser effects that you know do not have excessive laser radiation content.

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4. ILDA File Laser Effect Energy Distribution plotting

Scanguard Standard has a powerful feature that allows you to look at how the laser energy is distributed throughout a specific laser effect. This gives you the opportunity to see where the danger spots may exist in the effect. When you know where the trouble spots are with the image, you can either take steps to keep those effects away from the audience, or modify the effect so that the effect's hot spots become less intense. Scanguard plots the distribution on the screen with an easy to use colour-coding scheme that shows the precise laser energy concentration.

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5. Mirror Ball Sweeping Beam Effect Analysis

Using Mirror balls to achieve a dramatic audience scanned effect is in many ways one of the easiest ways to perform safe audience scanning if carried out correctly. Due to the inertia of the rotating mirror ball, having to worry about the beams suddenly stop moving, is less of an issue, because the mirror balls will rarely stop rotating unexpectedly in a fraction of a second, as can galvanometers.

What is important is to be able to know that the beams reflecting from the mirror ball are safe for your installation. In order to help achieve this, Scanguard takes into account the mirror ball size, the number of facets on the ball, and the angle the laser beam strikes the ball at.

6. Line and Tunnel Diffraction Grating Analysis

This tool performs an estimation analysis on both line and tunnel diffraction grating effects. Size of the diffracted effects are fully adjustable to accommodate different gratings.

7. Diffuse Reflections

Class 4 lasers can be hazardous to look at directly and to view diffuse reflections (reflections that disperse on surfaces such as walls). By typing in a few basic parameters it is possible to get an indication if that bright dot on the wall is harmful to look at.

8. Measurement Toolbox

The Measurement Toolbox contain a mix of useful tools that one often comes across needing to use when performing laser safety assessments :

Scan Angle/Projection size – Type in a few simple parameters and the distance involved, and this tool can tell you the scan angle your scanners are working based on the size of the projection, or the projection size based on the scan angle setup.
Divergence Calculator – not sure of the divergence of your laser, or want to check it's in spec? This easy to follow procedure solves the divergence values for you.
Triangle Solver – assessment processes often involve having to know not easy to measure distances from the laser projector to the audience. The Triangle Solver helps to work out such distances, and angles of projection etc.
Frame Rate Calculator – quickly tells you the frequency of a frame, given its parameters.

9. Single and Multiple Wavelength and Beam Analysis

Many of today's modern laser projectors use different internal light sources to create multicolour laser effects. Often these individual beams will have different properties such as divergence and radiant powers that need to be taken into account. Scanguard Standard helps to take this into account, allowing the user to enter these parameters through an easy to follow wizard that can then save the results as a named laser projector file, which can be recalled at any point in the future.

10. MPE, Wavelength, and Hazard Classification Reference

As with all versions of Scanguard, the software includes quick access tools to look up MPE data, wavelength/responsivity, and laser hazard classification references.

11. Outdoor Airspace Calculations

When lasers are used outdoors the effect of the laser beams intersecting with aircraft has to be taken into account. For this reason, in many territories it is necessary to notify the agency responsible for air traffic and to provide them with specific information including safety calculations regarding the laser display.

Scanguard Standard Edition automatically calculates:
NOHD - Nominal Ocular Hazard Distance
SZED - Sensitive Zome Exposure Distance
CZED - Critical Zone Exposure Distance
LFED - Laser Free Exposure Distance

12. Scientific Safety Calculation Tools

There may be occasions when you need to find out a specific result for a given calculation. For this purpose Scanguard has an advanced calculation mode to allow users work directly with Scanguard's safety calculation engine.

13. Store Laser Projector and Effects Parameters

Keep of record of your laser system parameters and the effects you use so that they can be recalled at any point in the future. You can assign venue names and titles to the effects so that they become easy to remember when required.

14. ANSI and IEC Notation

Scanguard can be easily configured to work in either the ANSI units (such as Wcm-²) or the notation used in the IEC standards (e.g.Wm-²), so you can work with parameters and results in the method that you feel most comfortable in, and that is the preferred choice in your country.