Story By:  Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor:  Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News

This pretty uni student – who created a ‘Star Wars’-style lightsaber for her engineering thesis – has found out that the tech which she harnessed is set to be used for pioneering eye surgery.

In December, student Aleksandra Fliszkiewicz created the ‘laser saber’ as part of her engineering thesis at the Warsaw University of Technology in the central-eastern Polish capital city.

The 22-year-old student, who hails from the town of Pionki, used a lens for her lightsaber that was created as part of an engineering thesis with her supervisor Dr. Krzysztof Petelczyc, but which was never developed further. However, with the adaptations she made to use it for her project, it now appears it could prove useful in the treatment of vision defects.

Aleksandra said the idea of making a lightsaber was purely because she is a fan of the film series.

She said: “The idea came to me after I watched the eighth film in the Star Wars series.

“I wanted it to be something interesting rather than something boring like analysing charts so I searched the internet and said to myself ‘I think I want to make a lightsaber’.”

According to local media, when making the lightsaber, she used an unusual lens made by previous university students in 1990 which they never found a use for.

As it does not focus light at a certain point but rather in a section, university scientists are reportedly using it to create an innovative corneal implant treatment for cataract patients.

The lightsaber’s handle was made with a 3D printer and then a green laser was placed inside with the special lens that focuses light within a range of distances rather than just one. In the case of Aleksandra’s design, the focus is over a 30- to 40-centimetre section.

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