Product: Lighter
Mystical Laser Candle Lighter   (+6)  [vote for, against]
Sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

This device would consist of an AI trained to keep track of candles and wicks in the room via edge tracing.* (One would have to display each candle from various angles) It would also track hand gestures. There would also be a lightweight computer, a Kinect, and a fairly small and powerful laser. When the correct gesture is performed over a candle the laser would fire at the wick, lighting it.

*This technology is quite common and has been in use for years. Please don't call "magic"

EDIT: also what [Vernon] said.
-- Voice, Dec 21 2011

Elegant and nifty. [+]
-- gisho, Dec 21 2011


Perhaps multiple lasers could converge on the wick, so as not to accidentally light parts of guests.
-- pocmloc, Dec 21 2011


Would also work on paraffin lamps with clear glass chimneys. [+]

Voice recognition would be good ...

<Obi-Wan>

<Hand gesture>

"You don't need to see his means of ignition ..."

<Candles in room light, seemingly spontaneously>

</Obi-Wan>
-- 8th of 7, Dec 21 2011


Giles had just mastered the trick of balancing a grape-stem on the tip of his index finger when...
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 21 2011


First point of order: [+]

That said, I wish to point out that A) the Kinect can only 'see' about 12' and B) that laser had better be tiny, quick, and spot-on accurate, or else the furniture, floors, pets, and people in the room will be playing backstop to your novelty candle lighter. Keep the burn ointment handy.
-- Alterother, Dec 21 2011


[+] Although I'd rather \\When the correct gesture is performed over a candle, the laser would fire at the wick of an adjacent candle, lighting it\\ and producing a priceless WTF moment for your dinner guest.
-- mouseposture, Dec 21 2011


// Perhaps multiple lasers could converge on the wick, so as not to accidentally light parts of guests. //

Yes, indeed.

And to reduce chances of something being between the wick and the sole laser. And to make it less obvious that a laser is being used.
-- baconbrain, Dec 22 2011


You neglected to indicate that the laser should use an infrared frequency, so the beam would be entirely invisible when it does its thing.
-- Vernon, Dec 23 2011



random, halfbakery