The Inventors Projects

LIGHTSABER

We believe in projects that bring together science, art, and creativity, inspiring children to learn in a practical and engaging way

Discover, as family, how this experience inspires curious minds and sparks students’ scientific interest. Together we will:

  •  Understanding optics concepts such as reflection and refraction of light.
  • Understanding that this concepts have been fundamental to the development of optical technologies such as cameras, glasses, telescopes, and microscopes.
  • Building a Lightsaber using LEDs and straws. The goal is to create a visual effect similar to the iconic lightsabers from the Star Wars film series.

Let’s turn learning into a memorable and fun experience!

May the light be with you

The Lightsaber project allows children to explore the fascinating world of reflection and refraction of light in a fun and hands-on way!

The Lightsaber experiment is a fun and educational activity in which children will build a lightsaber using LEDs and straws. The goal is to create a visual effect similar to the iconic lightsabers from the Star Wars film series.

This experience sparks children’s curiosity and creativity about the world of light, such as reflection and refraction . It allows children to learn important  scientific concepts, that have been explored by many pioneers of science, in a practical and enjoyable context, encouraging them to explore the world around them with an inventive mindset. This reflects the mission of inspiring future inventors and innovators to think outside the box and apply their knowledge in innovative ways.

About InspiringInventors

Charles Townes

Charles Townes

(1915-2015)

Charles Hard Townes was an American physicist best known for his pioneering work in quantum electronics, which led to the development of the maser and later the laser. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1964, along with Nikolay Basov and Alexander Prokhorov, for their fundamental work in the field of quantum electronics. He directed the US government’s Science and Technology Advisory Committee for the Apollo lunar landing program. After becoming a professor of the University of California, Berkeley in 1967, he began an astrophysical program that produced several important discoveries, for example, the black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy.

Ask Charles Townes

The AI version of Charles Townes answers your questions

This dialogue box uses artificial intelligence and is configured to respond exclusively to questions related to the project, its concepts and associated fields, as well as queries and curiosities about the history of each inventor. Questions outside this scope may not be answered. Always use under adult supervision.

Thank you for your understanding.

ConceptsCovered

Reflection

The Lightsaber experience also introduces children to the basic concepts of Reflection:

 REFLECTION: This concept is associated with the redirection of light rays when they strike a surface.

Refraction

This project also introduces children to concepts of Refraction

  • REFRACTION: Is the change in direction of light rays as they pass through different mediums, such as from air to water.

Why this project?

The Lightsaber project was created with three main objectives:

  1. Understanding the importance of concepts: Enabling children to learn about optics concepts, such as reflection and refraction of light, through practical demonstrations, culminating in the materialisation of the experience with the creation of a true visual spectacle when turning off the lights and seeing the “lightsaber” glow
  2. Explaining the relevance of concepts nowadays: The concepts of reflection and refraction remain fundamental in the development of advanced technologies. Current and future inventions that rely on these principles include fibre optic systems for communication, advanced medical imaging technologies such as MRI scans, and experiments in quantum optics that have the potential to transform information processing and computing
  3. Focus in Creativity and an Inventive Spirit: By taking part in this  process, children develop skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and motor coordination.

At the end of the session, in addition to building an Lightsaber, the children will also gain a new appreciation for the world of reflection and refraction, and how they influence modern innovations, such as cameras, glasses, telescopes, and microscopes.

Together, we can discover how to bring light to science!

Challenges for you

Ask your young inventor what excited them the most about the session, or challenge them to use the lightsabers to illuminate their room!

For the boldest ones, how about sharing the impact of that light in a dark room and showing it to us on social media?

Link to Instagram

Together, let's make learning even more memorable and...full of brightness!

The Inventors UK
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