Using remote control to turn on/off lightsabers.

[dj2rbo]

Its not necessarily new to use infrared to turn on electronics. Just a thought that popped into my head driving home. Has anybody ever thought of using remote controls to turn on the lightsaber? I must confess I have zero research on the matter or why I even thought about it. Anyway I was just wondering what your thoughts are on the idea or how it would be cool or stupid to have. One thought I have is you turn on your saber with the "force" utlilizing a miniature switch on your palms or something. Any input or comments are appreciated.

[ARKM]

I have thought about it. They make RC cars as small as hot wheels nowadays so It's entirely doable. I plan on making a saber with remote on/off someday but I'm sure I will be "beaten to the punch" by a veteran sabersmith.

[equinox13]

personally i would want to wire in an RFID sensor and wear an RFID tagged ring/bracelet of some sort. that way your interaction is simply getting near it and handing it to someone else will just seem like the force is stronger with you than them. ^_^

[jjshumpert]

now there is a pretty kewl idea, im gonna start research on that tonight....

[Ronan]

Don't see the point.

On the other hand, theirs a company that sells a wireless sound system for lightsabers. Now that i see the point for stage reenactments.

[Novastar]

Many moons ago, Gundamaniac (Brian... whom I've not heard from in ages now) did a setup on his saber Obeissance that was similar to this in result. However, it used a magnetic switch. :)

But sure, definitely any system that remotely cuts the power line to the power on switch/leads and/or restores power to such leads could work.

In the end... it's just a switch. CF is looking for "open + close" (momentary), or a solid state of those for latching (either opened OR closed).


personally i would want to wire in an RFID sensor and wear an RFID tagged ring/bracelet of some sort. that way your interaction is simply getting near it and handing it to someone else will just seem like the force is stronger with you than them. ^_^

[equinox13]

in that case if you pull apart a decent sized relay and use that as the sensor/switch, then glue a neodymium magnet to a ring or two, you should be set. i would want the RFID simply because i see the magnet being a bit too sensitive on placement. however, having said that, if you have a decent sized headphone magnet wired to a keychain and just let it attract solidly to the switch, holding each other in place and seperated by a thin sheet of aluminum or plastic, that should work too.

i just got an idea of making an external EM coil that acts in conjunction with another EM coil in the hilt to act as an external power source and power things through induction... similar to those charging pad things wired into a glove or something. think there's merit in that? ^_^

[dj2rbo]

^^ Your avatar is a bug out lol.

[Gin Malinko]

what i think would be cool, is if you have some way to make your lightsaber have the same magnetic security system as some firearms.

it will only turn on if the weilder is wearing a ring with a certain magnetic fregency(sp?)

this would be like in some of the books, that some jedi kept their switch on the inside and used the force to turn it on and it was only attuned to them.

would be pretty cool. how to do it though.....beyond me

[equinox13]

or like newer cars if you make a copy of the key physically it still won't work because of the tagged RFID chip in it.

[Gin Malinko]

exactly!

[Novastar]

what i think would be cool, is if you have some way to make your lightsaber have the same magnetic security system as some firearms.

it will only turn on if the weilder is wearing a ring with a certain magnetic fregency(sp?) ...To a point... that is precisely what Gundamaniac did with "Obeissance".

Granted... the gig would be "up" if everyone was wearing a magnetic ring... but still. It had to be a fairly STRONG magnetic ring (none of this "tiny discs" inside the inner ring garbage)... I'm talking about something hardcore, like hematite.

Only irony? Hematite is *EXTREMELY* brittle. One wrong move, and it's ashes to ashes, dust to dust... :)

[Gin Malinko]

Only irony? Hematite is *EXTREMELY* brittle. One wrong move, and it's ashes to ashes, dust to dust...

well, could a stronger metal be cast around it? like a shell?

[Novastar]

Probably. There are ways to "secure" one--to a point--but any way you slice it, hematite is prone to destruction.

A coat or three(??) of silicone might do the trick (I remember Erv suggested something like this back in the day when I cared about trying the experiment)... and with any luck, it shouldn't ruin the "range" of the magnetic field.

Sorry to de-rail... I would think this might be for another topic. It's only partially relevant, I suppose.

[Rhyen Skytracker]

You can get all kinds of transmitters and receivers combos. You could have the lightsaber in one hand and have the transmitter in your other hand to turn the lightsaber on with out people having a clue how you did it. You could even do some kind of force move (while you press the button with the other hand) to really freak people out. lol

I haven't really looked at the details of these here but it was one of the first when I googled it. http://www.elsema.com/prod-151.htm