Lightsabers are the best thing about Star Wars. You can wrap up the saga as an epic mythology of ancient altruism battling self-reliant enlightenment, but it all comes down to slashing off a stormtrooper's head with a laser sword. You know it. We know it. Disney knows it.
In fact, as part of its under-construction Star Wars Land theme park in Orlando, Disney may be attempting to create real life lightsabers. And not even a slightly improved version of that childhood plastic toy that you accidentally stabbed in your sister’s eye before she had to be rushed to A&E (just us?).
According to PatentYogi, Disney is working on a complete “audience interaction projection system”, complete with flying drones acting as remote training balls. Remember that scene in A New Hope where Luke trained in the Millennium Falcon?
OK, it’ll hardly be like re-enacting the maiming of Darth Maul, but reliving Skywalker’s lightsaber practice is a tad more health and safety friendly.
How’s it work? Well, there’s a fair bit of science to explain it, but hey, you’ll understand if you’re a true sci-fi fan. No pressure, then.
Audience members will be handed a ‘faux lightsaber’, essentially a blade packed with LEDs that transmit infra-red light towards the drones. The drones will then know where the lightsaber is and fire visible light beams at the weapon.
Disney has invented Lightsaber from Star Wars
How will you see the light? The rays will bounce off water vapor, condensed water, liquid nitrogen, dust, and theatrical fog. That means Lightsaber room should be very very misty. Misty enough to hide a Darth Vader, perhaps?
To tell it is, impossible. The dark cloud of the Sith shrouds us all...
