• In 1960, the first working laser was demonstrated.laser image by serge simo from Fotolia.com
  
  The term "laser" is an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. A laser beam is a directional beam made of powerful electromagnetic radiation. Just a few decades ago, lasers were viewed as science fiction movie entertainment. Today, they are used extensively in medicine, construction and computers. But, for the majority of people, lasers are a modern tool to create everyday items.
  
  

Clothing and Accessories

• Laser-cut clothing has become a fashion statement in recent times, replacing manual scissors. Designers incorporate this feature into clothing, accessories and swimwear. Runways around the world feature models wearing laser-cut fashions, both conservative and risqué. This trend seems to be increasing and, while it used to be seen in ladies' fashions almost exclusively, laser-cut clothing and accessories for men are starting to appear in stores.
  
  

Toys and Games

• Many toys are manufactured with the use of lasers. Hobby model kits such as cars, planes and boats are available with laser-cut pieces in addition to the wood and plastic pieces of the past. Dollhouses and collectibles are pre-assembled with precision-cut pieces. Many Christmas mornings have started with children playing with Star Wars-type lasers. Some jigsaw puzzle manufacturers use lasers to cut the puzzle pieces with a wider variety of shapes to decrease line visibility and create puzzles that lay flat.
  
  

Food

• Lasers are used to fabricate raw meat and designer presentations with cooked cuts of meat. Gourmet cheese is another food cut with lasers to make culinary creations and cheese slices. One Wisconsin cheese maker uses a laser to cut letters and fun shapes as a way to entertain and educate children. Sushi becomes a beautiful work of art with the creative use of laser cutting. Laser cutters are also useful to cut pizza into precise, neat slices.