The Star Wars lightsaber is one of the most iconic weapons in film history, wielded by members of the galactic Jedi order. Created by director Georg Lucas for the 1977 film Star Wars: A New Hope, the lightsaber has been called “an elegant weapon for a civilised age”.
An engineer inspired by the sci-fi epic has now recreated the Star Wars weapon, focusing an intense laser beam through a special lens and a 3D-printed handle.
According to Aleksandra Fliszkiewicz of the Warsaw Polytechnic, the “lightsaber” focuses a green laser into an 11 to 15 inch (30cm to 40cm) “blade”.
The engineering student told the Polish Press Agency (PAP): “A green laser and lens were fitted inside of the sword to focus light over a distance, the so-called ‘lightsaber’.
“Thanks to this, we have achieved the effect of a lightsaber. The sword’s handle was printed using a 3D printer.”
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Ms Fliszkiewicz was inspired to recreate the Jedi weapon after watching 2017’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi – the eight film in the sci-fi saga.
She said: “I went to Dr Krzysztof Petelczyc from the Physics Department at the Warsaw Polytechnic with the idea after the premiere of Star Wars episode eight.”
In the Star Wars films, the lightsabers are wielded by the peaceful Jedi knights and their evil counterparts the Sith.
The laser-based weapons emit characteristic glows in a multitude of colours and can cut through practically any material.
The weapons can also lock blades with other lightsabers much like a real sword.
Unfortunately, the lightsaber designed by Ms Fliszkiewicz misses some of the most crucial features that make the Jedi weapon so iconic.
We have achieved the effect of a lightsaber
Aleksandra Fliszkiewicz, Warsaw Polytechnic
According to Dr Petelczyc, the laser is too weak to be weirded as a sword but there is some hope in the development of plasma-based technology.
The engineer said: “First of all, the bands of laser light cannot be seen from the side. Unless we find ourselves in fog or smoke.
“Neither can we make two swords held by knights bounce off of one another.”
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The Star Wars lightsabers also emit a characterise hum or buzz that is missing from the laser sword.
Dr Petelczyc said: “These effects could be achieved, not with lasers, but plasma physics.”
Despite these shortcomings, the engineers believe the most exciting part of the lightsaber is the lens used to focus the beam of light.
Designed at the Warsaw Polytechnic in 1990, the specially crafted lens allows light to focus along a specific distance rather a single point.
Unlike traditional lenses that focus light at a set distance, the new lens features a number of cuts and varying thicknesses to focus light at different lengths.
On top of building lightsabers, the lens can be applied to optometry, to help people with poor eyesight.
The novel design can help people focus objects at any distance regardless of whether someone is shortsighted or farsighted.
The Polish engineers are now working on downscaling the lenses into contact lenses.
The researchers are also exploring the possibility of implanting the lenses directly into the eyes.
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