Clone Trooper Helmet Watches Your Back
YouTuber “The Dodgy Engineer” modified a clone trooper helmet with an Arduino to show if someone is sneaking up behind you.
Some clone troopers from Star Wars have a rangefinder on the side of their helmets that is said to give distance and size readings. What also might be important in a combat situation is the ability to see what’s in back of you. Even just a signal to say that, yes, something is there, and you might want to turn around and investigate further.
Inspired by the light sensitive organ on the top/back of a bearded dragon’s head, YouTuber “The Dodgy Engineer” decided to augment his toy clone trooper helmet with the same sort of ability. After some early experimentation with an LDR that lights up an LED, he eventually chose to implement an ultrasonic sensor and an Arduino Uno for more refined sensing.
The sensor is attached to the back of this helmet, allowing the setup to display distance information, as well as the speed at which a potential attacker is approaching. This display swings down on the side of the helmet when needed, and a pair of red LEDs inside, plus a buzzer, give the user additional feedback.
The build is outlined in the video above, and while a toy in this instance, one has to wonder if there could be practical applications of such a system. The finished project is shown just after the 7:30 mark, and there’s even a view from inside the helmet at around 9:00.
[h/t: Reddit]
