Could a light saber be possible to make?

[lucky_sharm]

It's understandable how it would seem undoable. There's the issue of creating a laser powerful enough to actually cut through things instantaneously, and then you have to figure out how to limit the extension of the laser.

But, if they somehow could solve both of these issues, couldn't the result very well look like this?

[http://nomoreheroes.wikia.com/index.php?title=Beam_katana&image=BloodBerryTsubakiMkII-jpg]



The beam katana from No More Heroes may not be as elegant and magical as the light saber from Star Wars, but it could very well be possible to make some day in the future.

 

[Tiger Sora]

Two issues one being able to create a strong enough laser to cut through anything like you said. And the power supply. Battery tech has come a ways but the energy needed would be immense. The tech for the batteries are at minimal 400 years away. And it's impractical as a weapon as a bullet moving at x speed with it's size is not visible to the human eye so good luck getting a half inch or so beam in front of that to disintegrate it.

The tech though is practical for a cutting tool.

 

[Jake0fTrades]

I think it's more plausible for there to be a laser baton that inflicts heavy burns on contact. More inclined to inflict pain than to kill.

 

[Phlakes]

Probably someday, but it's a long time off. And there will always be people asking this question until it's actually made.

 

[Reaper195]

Exactly like a lightsabre? Fuck no, that is impossible. Something that looks like a lightsabre but is a trillion miles from being even close to the real thing....sure, why not.

 

[SD-Fiend]

If I remember correctly they have in fact made them in real life they are heavy and not recomended for any type of dueling.

 

[viranimus]

Well the logistic problem is the blade. the exact design of a light saber is basically implausible. Either you have a blade thats so weak that it does no damage, or you get a blade that extends well practically infinitely.

However, there is one possibility I can think of that might be able to somewhat emulate the effect. Much like the NMH designs where there is a stopping point at the end of the blade, you need something that would act as an obstruction to light. Now if you were to take a high power laser, then at the tip of the blade area position a series of mirrors that reflected the blade back around to the hilt, to which the hilt also contained a series of mirrors that redirected the beam back up to the tip (contining infinitely) you could have a beam with enough intensity to cut like a laser, but look sort of like a light saber.

That or, you know have an extremely high powered but small blow torch with a refinement valve. Though your fuel source would make it pointlessly limiting.

Yeah that kind of tech can only exist a long time ago, in a galaxy far away.

Edit: Just think of the catastrophe if that were to be created and someone jostled the tip mirror array out of alignment. the whole world would bleed.

 

[Hellkite_Overload]

Ok, so I'm not too good at explaining technical things, but let the geek-out begin! xD yes, the lightsaber (as seen in star wars) is possible, but lasers have nothing to do with it. the term "laser-sword" is something of a misnomer, and a common misconception. A lightsaber works by generating an arc of pure energy in a loop outwards from the blade emitter. The arching "loop" of energy is contained within a cillindrical electro-magnetic field also emitted from the hilt. This constrains the arc of energy into a long blade-like shape, the lightsaber blade. (A lightsaber blade could not be made of plasma, as there is no way to contain the plasma at the end of the blade length, ie: "cap it off") The electromagnetic field will pass through nearly any substance, carrying the entense energy within it's confines through the material in a precise linear fashion, the heat of the energy expended in the cut will melt away just about anything in it's path, making a "cut" in the material much like a welding/cutting torch. The energy running in a closed loop through the system means that almost no energy is expended from the power source except when a cut is made through something. Because the electro-magnetic field is invisible the the eye, all you would really see is the bright arc of energy that is the blade, but when two of these blades are crossed, the fields (theoretically) repell each other, causing the two blades to stop on each other. In this way, the weapons could be fenced with in various fashions. The length of the blade is determined by the size (intensity) of the arc (which theoretically could be kept nearly constant while active) and the distance to which the field is strong enough to contain the arc. The arc within the field, when activated, would have to come up to full intensity to produce a certain length of blade. This would give the visual sense of the lightsaber "extending" and "retracting" when turned on/off. All these technologies, I think are possible (most already exist to some degree) the main issuse is making all this complex tech compact enough to fit in a roughly hilt-sized "sword handle" I think the lightsaber is entirely possible (of course, it's not like I'm a briliant physicist, so there are many kinks and potentially VERY dangerous flaws in this design that I can't acount for...plus I'm tired of typing now, lol) But that's the rough idea of how a genuine lightsaber works! I think we're much closer to the beam-katana "laser-sword" idea tech-wise, and I'd be very happy with that! (don't get me wrong) but it has quite a few flaws as a weapon. And I know I'll be holding out for my "more civilized weapon, for a more civilized age" yet to come. Come on SCIENCE! Don't let me down here!

 

[Hellkite_Overload]

Exactly like a lightsabre? Fuck no, that is impossible. Something that looks like a lightsabre but is a trillion miles from being even close to the real thing....sure, why not.

The lightsaber is ENTIRELY POSSIBLE. It's just highly IMPROBABLE that someone will develop the technologies required for them. But just think of the advances in power-cell technology that would come from us trying to get there! I think chasing the lightsaber is a good goal for science (forget cancer...I want a flashy super-sword! xD wow, I think my fan-boy status just went 9k+)

 

[Deadyawn]

I personally have no idea and I really can't be bothered to find out. I think we should just ask Cave Johnson.

 

[AtheistConservative]

The question is, why would you want to limit the beam? If you have a laser powerful enough to cut through flesh, and a power source small enough to be practical, why wouldn't you just use it as a gun?

 

[JSF16]

Overload's got it. You just need a plasma emmiter and an emmited for a magnetic field to contain the plasma.

 

[RyanBishop]

SW Fanboy Ryan Bishop says: "Yeah, give it time, science will get us something resembling a lightsaber. And in even more time - we will all enjoy this kind of tech full time. May the Force be with you!"

Realist Cynical Ryan Bishop says: Dream on, sucka. And while you're at it - attend a couple of physics lessons.

 

[andrew201292]

Also the lightsabers would pass through each other.

 

[Hellkite_Overload]

The question is, why would you want to limit the beam? If you have a laser powerful enough to cut through flesh, and a power source small enough to be practical, why wouldn't you just use it as a gun?

because lightsaber-blades AREN'T made of lasers!!! Laser fire-arms however, are definitly the wave of the future though, I think. They could be very practical (not to mention multi-functional. and let's face it...nobody's going to make/wear glass armour to stop lasers xD)

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well apart from it being completely pointless and probably fatal to anyone using it.

The power supply required for this would need to be a fusion reactor in hand held form, no that jerk-it-off generator from NMH wouldn't be enough.
And if you have that kind of power imagine what the gun equivalent of that would be, worse then a bloody tank, wouldn't want to go holding my glow stick against that.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Pfft. If you want a proper lightsabre then just have a mono-molecular blade and put lights on it. Does the same job. Can't deflect blasters, but that's actually using the Force, so lightsabres can't do that either.

 

[Hellkite_Overload]

Overload's got it. You just need a plasma emmiter and an emmited for a magnetic field to contain the plasma.

close, but they can't really be made of plasma because there's no way to produce a field with a "cap" on the end :/ plus the energy required to produce a constant supply of plasma for the blade length is just...well beyond astronomical! (acording to current scientific/technological understanding) The "Energy Arc Loop" design allows for an economy of energy, so you could keep the blade running for VERY long periods of time on a finite power source (theoretically of course) lol (and thank you for the read and consideration! I know it's a REALLY long one)

 

[immortalfrieza]

Actually, I remember watching a history channel special "Star Wars Tech", which tries to see just how plausible Star Wars technology is, including lightsabers. It was uploaded on Youtube, take a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBW7Y1Qj94k