The first laser was built less than 60 years ago, but since then, these devices have become almost ubiquitous. Lasers are now found not just in manufacturing facilities and state-of-the-art hospitals, but also in average dental offices, grocery stores, and even in consumers' garages. Read on to find out about three of the latest advancements in the laser market to keep an eye on and see what the future might hold.

1. Decreasing Costs

The large-scale adoption of laser technologies has caused the cost of lasers and peripheral equipment to drop significantly in recent years. It's now possible for even the average homeowner to purchase a hobby laser cutter without breaking his or her annual budget. Lower cost points mean that more businesses and individuals can get their hands on laser technology, which will drive not just an increase in use, but an increase in innovation.

2. Increased Interest

Lasers used to appeal only to niche markets. Today, they've captivated the global imagination, and it's common to see business owners from across diverse industries attending photonics trade shows and eagerly reading up about the latest advancements.

What's great about the combination of lower cost points and increased interest in lasers is that they are driving the industry to create new and innovative solutions to common problems. Companies focusing on medical applications for lasers are using the science of light to make tiny lasers that can move through optical fibers to deliver targeted laser light inside patients' bodies. Researchers in New York are exploring ways to use ultra-high-powered laser beams to affect cloud formation and induce rain. There are countless innovators finding ways to use lasers to improve daily life.

3. Increasing Patent Applications

With so much innovation surrounding the field of laser technology, it should come as no surprise that individuals and companies are also applying for patents at ever-increasing rates. Expect to see a lot of new applications for this already common technology emerging in the next 50 years, such as:

•  Improved medical diagnoses through the use of laser holography

Construction of metamaterials that negatively refract light

Reducing power requirements for cell phones and computers using laser-equipped transistor chips

Increasing the storage capacity of computers by using lasers to create smaller bits

The potential for laser fusion as an inexhaustible, carbon-free energy source

Laser-based ignition as a replacement for combustion systems

Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy as a means of identifying pathogens and other threats

New experiments that use lasers to better understand and explain the universe

These future trends may sound like science fiction right now, but they are all in development. Of course, the research is ongoing and most of today's laser applications are still comparatively mundane.

Those who want to use lasers for more conventional purposes such as cutting metal or engraving wood don't need to worry about things like laser fusion. They can purchase all the equipment and peripherals they need from established, time-tested suppliers.

The Bottom Line

Lasers have only been around for a little over half a century, but they have already revolutionized the way people live. With all the great minds currently using laser technology to tackle the world's problems, that trend is likely to continue into the future. For now, though, the most exciting thing about lasers is that basic models are available to almost everyone.