Disney Imagineer wants his amazing retractable lightsaber to become a toy

Three years ago, Disney revealed the most convincing replica of a Star Wars lightsaber ever devised — one whose glowing blade fully and automatically retracts inside the handle due to a cleverly patented device.

Now, its lead inventor, Lanny Smoot, says he’s hoping that lightsaber might turn into a product you can actually buy — and it sounds like plans could already be in motion, unless Smoot was misinformed.

At Disney’s D23 fan expo last month...