A patent for a Star Wars-like force field technology was granted to US-based aerospace and defense giant Boeing.
The technology, named Method and system for shockwave attenuation via electromagnetic arc, will use energy to deflect damages. This would be quite akin to the energy shields which protect troops and machines in the Star Wars film series.
The patent granted for this shockwave attenuation system will help the company to produce technology that would prevent the target from the damaging effects of shockwaves with the help of a protective plasma field. This plasma field will be made using lasers, electricity and microwaves and would differ from the surrounding environment in temperature, density and composition. It will be temporary and would not really deflect shrapnel completely. Damage from shockwaves may be lessened or prevented by interposing an attenuating material between the shockwave source and the object to be protected. This attenuating material typically may be designed to absorb the energy from the shockwave by utilizing a porous material that distorts as the energy is absorbed.
The patent, which was filed to the USPTO in 2012, took three years to see the light of the day. Though the patent is procured, Boeing has quite a long way to go to make this technology a reality and make a defense device that can protect soldiers completely or partially from the explosive devices.
The Defense, Space and Security arm of Boeing is a $33 billion business with 56,000 employees worldwide.
Reference:http://www.forbes.com/sites/bridaineparnell/2015/03/25/boeing-patents-futuristic-force-field/
The technology, named Method and system for shockwave attenuation via electromagnetic arc, will use energy to deflect damages. This would be quite akin to the energy shields which protect troops and machines in the Star Wars film series.
The patent granted for this shockwave attenuation system will help the company to produce technology that would prevent the target from the damaging effects of shockwaves with the help of a protective plasma field. This plasma field will be made using lasers, electricity and microwaves and would differ from the surrounding environment in temperature, density and composition. It will be temporary and would not really deflect shrapnel completely. Damage from shockwaves may be lessened or prevented by interposing an attenuating material between the shockwave source and the object to be protected. This attenuating material typically may be designed to absorb the energy from the shockwave by utilizing a porous material that distorts as the energy is absorbed.
The patent, which was filed to the USPTO in 2012, took three years to see the light of the day. Though the patent is procured, Boeing has quite a long way to go to make this technology a reality and make a defense device that can protect soldiers completely or partially from the explosive devices.
The Defense, Space and Security arm of Boeing is a $33 billion business with 56,000 employees worldwide.
Reference:http://www.forbes.com/sites/bridaineparnell/2015/03/25/boeing-patents-futuristic-force-field/