Group Members: Drew Ingram (andrewi2, ECE 120), Armando Terrones (armando2, ECE 120), and Antonio Rivera (amr2, ECE120)
Introduction
We are a sub-group of a larger group working to make a lightsaber. Our focus is the power system of the saber. Unfortunately humankind has not yet discovered kyber crystals, so we will have to create an alternative power source in order to power our weapon.
Disclaimer: We are not actually making a dangerous plasma sword. Our's will have pretty lights on it instead.
Statement of Purpose
We are creating the most lifelike lightsaber possible. As it moves it will react with active sounds of a moving lightsaber. It will also be bright enough to glow in sunlight. We are filling that desire to make the lightsaber we have always dreamed of holding. Our end goal is to give it battle capabilities, but we will settle for sound and light. THis is unique in the manner that it uses a lot of power to create a glowing blade, as well as the sound reacts with how you move it. Our individual group is making the power circuit for this device that power everything. We will assemble the LED blade and battery circuit of this project.
Background Research
We all have experience in ECE 110, but the bulk of our research is from an Electrical Engineering community project(URL and citation in references). We started this project from the idea of our group member Thomas Driscoll, who has done much research on this before hand and whose EE brother is going to work on a similar project. We want to create a lightsaber that we can battle another lightsaber with in the most realistic way possible. We are all fans of Star Wars so this makes the project extra exciting for us.
Block Diagram
Parts
LiPO (Lithium polymer) battery
Polycarb blade
Meter long LED strip
Power converter
PVC tubing
Ardunio
Button Sensors
Power converter
Possible Challenges
Powering all of the LEDs
Dealing with excess heat from the system
Building a system that can measure the voltage coming from the batteries without disturbing the rest of the circuit
Managing power consumption
Having the system fit neatly into its case
References
[1]J. Lee, "How to Build the Brightest LED Saber in the World", Allaboutcircuits.com, 2016. [Online]. Available: http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/projects/how-to-build-the-brightest-led-saber-in-the-world/. [Accessed: 10- Feb- 2017].
[2]"Lightsaber", Wookieepedia, 2017. [Online]. Available: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Lightsaber. [Accessed: 10- Feb- 2017].
Posted by tlgraha2 at Feb 20, 2017 21:32