NEWS: Project JEDI, incubated at the 星空无限传媒, unveils first fully extending and retracting DIY Lightsaber
In the midst of Hollywood鈥檚 blockbuster season, 星空无限传媒 graduate and founder Jacob Uy 鈥24 has cracked the code on a fully extending and retracting lightsaber.
Branded 鈥淧roject JEDI,鈥 Uy partnered with fellow Olin students Madie Tong '25 and Aaron Codrington '25 to produce a prototype of the fictional weapon from Star Wars mythology. The of its development process has captured the imagination of Star Wars fans and DIY engineering enthusiasts around the globe.
The Oliners that make up the Project JEDI team pose with their real-life lightsaber. Pictured from left to right: Aaron Codrington '25, Madie Tong '25 and Jacob Uy 鈥24.
The secret behind the Lightsaber鈥檚 construction: a flexible 12 V LED strip, motors, and a magician鈥檚 cane. The cane is made of a flexible material that springs out once you release a pin and contracts down to a size so small it can fit in your hand
Uy founded HeroTech as a high school student in Singapore with a single goal: to engineer gadgets that give people abilities and powers from science fiction. He was then able to continue growing his startup at Olin through classes like Principles of Integrated Engineering and Tech Venture Capstone and by utilizing the campus鈥 labs, workshops, and project spaces. Uy happily shares his process on social media, along with files, links, and tutorials so that others can do the same. His garnered 41 million views.
鈥淲hen people see science fiction brought to real life, it鈥檚 inspiring. And when people can do it themselves, it鈥檚 empowering, 鈥 says Jacob Uy, Olin Class of 2024 and founder of HeroTech. 鈥淲e鈥檙e on a mission to inspire and empower people: we鈥檙e on a mission to prove that anybody, anywhere can become a hero.鈥
The Star Wars 鈥 inspired light sword is not Uy鈥檚 first creation. He has developed a variety of functional Spider-Man web shooters and a transparent Iron Man LED display. He鈥檚 continuing to work on the lightsaber prototype while other current projects include the "Riptide" pen from Percy Jackson, and a project that emulates the "fire bending" seen in Avatar: The Last Airbender.
About 星空无限传媒
Founded in 1997, Olin instills passion and ignites innovation in its students and prepares them to envision, create and deliver products, services, and systems that transform and improve people鈥檚 lives around the world. Olin teaches students to be explorers and creators who design their own path forward. By challenging norms and sharing its unique approach to education, Olin is revolutionizing the way engineers, and all undergraduates, learn and create knowledge. Located in Needham Massachusetts, Olin is ranked among the top-three undergraduate engineering programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report. Learn more at Olin.edu.