For all of you who love Star Wars and have dreamed of one day holding a real lightsaber in your hand, it looks like your dream may be coming true! Disney has recently filed a patent application for a real life lightsaber. While they may not be exactly like the ones the Jedi used in the movies, it seems they may be as close as anyone has been to making one.
Disney has already announced and started building their Star Wars Land theme parks. These two parks- one in Anaheim, California, and the other in Bay Lake, Florida-will give life to the Star Wars saga that so many have come to love. What tops off a total immersion into the Star Wars universe? Being able to use a real lightsaber, of course!
According to the patent application (US 14/596,153), filed on January 13, 2015, the lightsabers will work in combination with drone technology. Drones will fly over the audience while the air above them is filled with a particulate matter such as fog, water vapor, condensed water, dust, or liquid nitrogen. Audience members will be given a lightsaber which houses LEDs that send IR light to the drone. When an LED is illuminated, IR rays are sent from the lightsaber to the drone. There is an IR sensor housed in the drones that captures an image of the field of view and directs light through the particulate matter towards the lightsaber. To this user, this will give the effect that the lightsaber is deflecting laser beams or even that it is missing some. The user will feel as though they are engaged in a real life lightsaber fight.
To add to the realistic feel, haptic feedback will be a part of the experience. This will give the user the feeling that the lightsaber has been turned on, and it will also produce the classic humming sound that everyone associates with a lightsaber. Haptic feedback vests with multiple sensors, worn by the user, will let the user know when he or she has been struck by a laser beam.
If it’s the total Star Wars experience you’re looking for, it looks like Disney’s new patent application may be for you. Look for this new technology to come to life soon, and may the force be with you!