Originally posted by Jamuhn
What about this...

What if you ejected some sort of control wire when you turned it on? In that way you would be able to control its length. Then, you could use the anti-grenade shield currently being developed for British tanks along the wire. Although, there is still the problem of getting all the energy you would need to keep up the electromagnetic shield. There has been a patent for a really small vacuum energy generator, I guess that could fit into it and there you go, a light saber.

Not bad but the problem with the control wire is what happens when it contacts the target?

Using our current knowlege of physics and the behavior of light, I would have to say NO! We could not contain any laser or light based blade at a set length. Second, there is no way to achieve that level of power in a laser that small. Remember the smallest Known laser weapon we have right now fills an entire Boeing 747 jumbojet.

Tim
ATS Director of Counter-Ignorance

Give me a titainium sword any day.

[edit on 15-6-2004 by h4dd3n]

I think some are taking the "light" part of lightsabre too litterally, with light it would be vergin on the impossible with the power problem out of the way, with it, you're hooped. Using plasma though would be vaguely within the range of possability.

We have lasers now that will provide you with an adequate cutting beam, if you had at least two or four that interfered with each other you could control the length, just rotate the beams to give yourself a nice elongated cone of searing laser death.

The only trick of course is the power pack...

Ok it would be cool I guess but if I use my machine gun and u have your light saber I don't think all the force in the world is going to save you. So what is the point!!! Besides it's a childish fantasy....but yeah it would be cool!

Can a light saber be made.

Yeah with a maglite and some plastic tubing.Looks realy good in the dark.

At the expense of sounding like a TOTAL loser:

I think you guys are a little off as far as the lightsaber goes. I remember reading a LONG time ago that the lightsaber's beam of light is a laser that goes out and then arcs back into itself at the hilt. It doesn't just go out and then stop.

That is the way it was originally described officially by Lucasfilm, at least, though I don't think that will make it any easier to figure out how to design one.



corny

If the thing really does contain light how come the blades not invisible. Why does it glow if it contains the light???

Well with the technology we have at the moment, no, but i have heard that it is possible, but i doubt we will ever make one. We have no need for a light saber *wanted a light saber duel*

Originally posted by cyberdude78
If the thing really does contain light how come the blades not invisible. Why does it glow if it contains the light???

All lightsabers have a special crystal (that is mined on another planet) inside it. This is where the light (laser) comes from. The crystals come in different colors.

corny (star wars freak)

Originally posted by corny
All lightsabers have a special crystal (that is mined on another planet) inside it. This is where the light (laser) comes from. The crystals come in different colors.

corny (star wars freak)

The planet from which the crystals are mined is called Illum...

Faisca (bigger Star Wars freak)

Ok well unless those cyrstal things are on Mars then what do we do. Not to mention imaginative as star wars is its just imagination.

I talked to a theoretical physicist here at the university and he says that a weapon with the properties of a lightsaber could be build, but not using light itself:

You could use plasma, in a convection current confined within a cone-shaped electromagnetic field. This would create a weapon sword-shaped, with the offensive properties of a lightsaber. It would slice with immense heat, but because of the field it would only be released upon contact, and also because of the field you could parry and block one saber with another.

It also would not require a focusing crystal, instead working on the same properties of convection that one sees on the upper levels of the sun.

There are some practical drawbacks however:

The energy required to heat the plasma and create an electromagnetic field strong enough would require a small-ish nuclear reactor.

There could be electromagnetic snags if the field is not properly calibrated, causing mini-solar flares to be flung from the blade when the field snaps back.

An EMP could make for a very very bad day with one of these.

~Astral

Lol, one day we'll have light sabers, good things take time

Isn't it one of Einstiens theories that because all things are made of energy, then all things can be manipulated? Electricity wasn't so hard, and gravity being made of the same stuff seems doable, so why wouldn't we think that light won't one day be manipulated into a saber? Most everything from science fiction has come true, surely thats because nothing is impossible, its just the getting there that can be tough. I think I even remember a few months ago scientists were amazed because they actually found evidence that light speed wasn't constant after all. Thats right after they figured out that water wasn't h2o it is actually h1.5o . What else do we think we know for sure?

Who said you will never be able to build a lightsaber??


I am disturbed by your lack of faith

why does this thread have 23,000 views but only 37 replies. Im a bit perplexed but i guess no one has any clue of how to make one.

Originally posted by ghost
Using our current knowlege of physics and the behavior of light, I would have to say NO! We could not contain any laser or light based blade at a set length.

I agree with this Lasers just dont stop at a set length. The very concept of lightsabers dont quite make sense its a light beam and yet solid at the same time. Two sabers connect and they block each other which would mean they are solid yet made of light.

Perhaps you could make something that would work like a lightsaber but had nothing to do with lasers. Im thinking more of a plasma cutting torch with a three foot tightly focused flame.

If it was made hot enough perhaps it could work like a light saber. But you would prob. need a back pack full of fuel for it.

[edit on 20-9-2005 by ShadowXIX]