There are amazing lightsaber collectibles out there, including practical dueling sets so you can cosplay and swordfight to your heart’s desire. What’s wild is that the whole concept of lightsabers originally came about from a random discovery at a camera shop. Of course, nothing will ever come close to a genuine saber, because killer light swords may never be possible, at least not on Hollywood’s scale. But if you shrink things down to a bug’s level, the awe-inspiring, and perhaps terrifying, technology is already here. An independent designer named Jonathan Barraclough from Brightbeam Solutions has introduced the “most satisfying” way to eliminate pesky bugs: a modular zapper called the Bug Saber.
Barraclough, a former Air Force Officer, NASA engineer, and now product designer, turned to Kickstarter to fund the project. The Bug Saber features full-motion sound effects, a bright LED ring, and a high-voltage 4,000-volt grid for zapping critters. The light-saber-inspired hilt resembles a collectible, but this is not for Padawans. Functionally, there are three core components: the Bug Saber head with zapping grid, a hilt, and a vertical stand, available separately or together. You can get just the head and swap in your favorite hilt if you already own a third-party saber. Early-bird pre-orders start at $24 for the head alone. Pricier bundles, like the $54 starter set, include a hilt and more. The first shipments are expected in December if all goes to plan, though, as with any ambitious Kickstarter project, rewards aren’t guaranteed. The total goal is $10,000, but this is an all-or-nothing project that won’t be funded if it doesn’t reach its goal by the deadline.
How does Bug Saber actually work?
The key component is the Bug Saber head, the topmost piece that integrates the 4,000-volt grid. Stationed in the middle of the bright LED ring, the grid helps it function as an electrified paddle of sorts. Insects are naturally drawn to the light, much like a traditional bug zapper, only to be vaporized when they fly into it. All the while, the saber is designed to give you, the wielder, full sight and sound satisfaction. It will react as you’d expect a lightsaber to, playing sound effects that match the whoosh of a neon “Star Wars” blade.
You can use it in a handheld configuration, as intended, but you can also mount it to a stand and leave it wherever you have a bug problem. That could be in your backyard, at a campsite, on your patio, even indoors. Brightbeam Solutions has a demo video of an early model in use, if you want to see it in action. Bug Saber’s creator, Barraclough, even drops an insect on the grid for a shocking first look at where all those zapped bug parts go. Hint: it’s nowhere, as there’s no cleanup afterward, apparently.
At the risk of repeating, sure, this could never come close to an actual saber. Fans know Star Wars lightsabers are more than just weapons, and there’s a ton of lore behind their (fictional) existence and design that’s deeply fascinating. But we can let Barraclough have this one; it is still pretty darn neat after all. Surprisingly, there’s a ton of other Star Wars technology that actually exists today, too.
