Lightsabers are the weapons for a more civilized age as proclaimed, by a renowned and noble Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi. Truly said, lightsabers are the center of the Star Wars world for the Jedi and even the Sith. These sword-like weapons have been a cultural phenomenon since their first glimpse in The New Hope, 1977.
Fans want to hold a searing real-life plasma blade so badly. In a way, it is unjustifiable that George Lucas introduced a futuristic and elegant weapon without giving away the formula for manufacturing the extraordinary technology. With the technological advancements today, we are only one step closer to building the real lightsaber. There are way more steps to go before the fundamentals of physics can be bent to the will of lightsaber enthusiasts and analysts.
The billion-dollar question is, how close are we to building the real lightsabers? Apart from the budget setback, the glaring science principles are an obstacle.
Right now, the biggest possibility of holding a fiction-to-reality weapon is a 400 to 1200 Fahrenheit torch blade that could accidentally burn out our houses if not our hands first.
Reality Check!
Currently, manufacturing the blade of the robed warriors is a challenge that small businesses, private analysts, and YouTube enthusiasts have taken up for themselves. They are constantly in a run to outsmart each other. Yet there has been very little progress in taming the science of building straight-light glass gadgets.
There are two ways to tackle this question. The lightsaber experts have joined heads in controlling laser light and plasma to see which source will give realistic results. However, there is a catch to both sources. We need to give it another twenty years before the Jedi weapon that can cut through metal is available to us.
Hacksmith Industries
The CEO of Hacksmith Industries, James Hobson created a plasma photosaber in 2020. Not many know this, plasma photo sabers were the it, before the lightsabers in Star Wars. They just looked a little different. The plasma blade functionality is the same yet the hilt and its components are traditional. Hobson used the same technique to create a successful plasma blade. Still, the catch is, like the old lightsaber version of the Jedi lightsaber in Star Wars, the blade is attached to the power packs in a hilt attached to the hip.
The power cells as the energy source can be upscaled to energize the plasma blade. To reach the optimum goals the cells required for the powerpack could get bulky and huge. That is not ideal for combat and dueling the way fans would like.
Disney Retractable Lightsaber
In 2022, Disney retractable lightsabers were unveiled. It was a major turning point for fans of lightsabers. Disney’s retractable plasma sword, in the opinion of virtual reality developer Ben Ridout, isn’t powerful enough to cut through metal and flesh. On-demand, however, the RGB strip light blade can be closed and released.
That’s advancement. Additionally, it indicates that we are becoming nearer to our desire to turn our fantasies into reality. For some of us, the day we will challenge Darth Vader, in the same style as The Empire Strikes Back is still a distant dream.
Disney’s cutting-edge emitter blade stops at RGB light strips that roll. Since then, pixel lightsabers have not gotten much better.
Plasma & Electromagnetic Fields: Today’s Promise
In the physics world taming plasma is a hot topic that could generate a real deal Luke Skywalker Lightsaber. Plasma has shown promise in creating a safe and luminous blade. At least, the plasma part about the fictional Star Wars is accurate and so is the acquisition of the plasma source. However, the onward steps of maneuvering the atoms of the matter are tricky.
Within the defined bounds, the ionic particles in plasma spontaneously disperse. To generate a linear column for a plasma blade, they must be aligned into a concentrated mass.
Second, the energy generated during control is insufficient to sustain the Nano Kelvin gas medium in a standard-sized custom lightsaber. The plasma must be a thousand degrees Fahrenheit for it to work like a fantastical steel-melting sword. Once more, hardly the best circumstances to fight.
So, how can electromagnetic fields help?
The strength and power of electromagnetic fields can change the length and width of the plasma blade due to their exertional powers. A plasma beam can be emitted as far as it can reach, reducing the energy emission towards the tip. Electromagnetic force also can stop the projection to a desired length.
Final Words
The challenges to reaching our full potential are put to a stop by the realistic thermodynamic principles. Problems with energy and temperature prevent us from developing a working model of a plasma lightsaber.
Analysts of lightsabers are now concentrating on the control and stability of plasma over an extended duration. An additional aspect is the temperature, which should support both energy and environmental safety.
