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Boeing Patents Star Wars Style Force Field Technology
An anonymous reader was one of many to point out that Boeing doesn't want to rely on a sad devotion to an ancient religion to protect aircraft and conjure up the stolen data tapes, but plans on using force fields instead. "Boeing's new patent may let the force be with you even in real life. The aircraft and defense company has taken a cue from science fiction with its plan to develop a Star Wars style force field that would use energy to deflect any potential damage. Just liking the luminescent shields seen in the film, Boeing's "Method and system for shock wave attenuation via electromagnetic arc" could provide a real-life layer of protection from nearby impacts to targets. The downside: It won't protect from direct hits."
direct hit: That's where everybody moves side to side in unison and then falls to the floor.
Then some panel blows and sparks fly everywhere - why they stopped using fuses in the future is anyone's guess.
And the guy in he red shirt will be dead. All others will be just unconscious.
Shit! Wrong franchise!
This one's pretty simple. Use an electric arc to destroy the air between you and the approaching shockwave. This leaves no medium for the shockwave to propagate. I wouldn't assume too strongly don't have a working prototype.
Star Wars features force fields that can, for example, hold the air in a spacecraft hangar even while a spacecraft flies out.
Boeing has developed a technology where lasers fire a burst of energy to turn air into plasma, causing a shock wave. When sensors detect an incoming pressure wave (from an explosion or whatever) this system creates a counter-wave.
Even when I squint and wave my hands a lot, those two things don't look much alike.
The prior art on this is not Star Wars, but reactive tank armor.
lf(1): it's like ls(1) but sorts filenames by extension, tersely