What is SaberProp?

In a nutshell, SaberProp is a control board that orchestrates sound and light effects based on motion. It is meant to control... well... saber props, more specifically lightsabers, but that's more an intent than a limitation, as it can control any sort of prop that needs to drive sound and light based on motion. It may come in many physical shapes, most often as a core: an electronic board mounted on a plastic chassis, with everything built-in except buttons and LEDs: memory, battery, speaker, antenna.

The hardware

The hardware is built on an ESP32 controller, which provides two processor cores: one reserved for wireless communication and one for the prop control.  This means SaberProp can stay always connected, allowing live interaction between props and with other devices. Here's a glimpse of what's under the hood:

A key element of any SaberProp installation is the wireless antenna, as sabers made of metal tend to shield the electromagnetic signal. On the SaberProp core, the antenna is mounted on the chassis, positioned above the speaker so it gets the best possible range. 

The SaberProp core interacts with external hardware through a main connector - for lights and buttons, and an extension connector for development. Here's how installing a SaberProp in a lightsaber normally goes:

The Software

There are three main components of the software infrastructure that powers SaberProp:

1. The firmware: the software that controls the electronic board ('the firmware') is a customized version of the open-source project ProffieOS, so it is open-source itself - anyone can adopt and change it. It is customized to run on a WiFi-enabled hardware and to ease setup and use, it does not retain all the features of the original Proffie but it retains compatibility with Proffie blade styles and sound fonts, so SaberProp can run tons of existing content.

2. The mobile app: the not-yet-released iOS & Android app provides the most convenient way to control SaberProp: it allows basic setup and over-the-air content update, as well as a gateway to the world wide web. It also features an AI assistant, capable of technical and usage guidance as well as troubleshooting.

3. The web app: accessible through the "SaberProp Config" button on the left side of this page or at config.saberprop.com, this Chrome-based interface provides full control via USB. It allows basic settings, content update as well as advanced hardware configuration, with the AI assistant available for help as well.  And no, you don't need Arduino to use it.