3D-Printed Stormtrooper Helmet Looks Great, Filters Dust

Ever wonder why the Stormtroopers in Star Wars wear extensive body armor and helmets? While they seem incapable of deflecting laser blasts — or even rocks thrown by furry woodland creatures — perhaps they are actually meant to keep the air that they breathe clean. At least that’s what’s envisioned in this project by KONGDOLE Production.

In the build, they mount a HEPA filter along with a PC-style cooling fan inside a 3D-printed Stormtrooper helmet to purify the air inside. While more conspicuous than dust masks that you might see people wearing in areas with poor air quality, at least you’ll look stylish, especially given the ring of NeoPixels surrounding it at the bottom. As we all know, they make nearly any project better, even referred to as the “MSG of making” in the video.

Along with the filter, they designed an air quality sensor setup that uses an Arduino Nano and a tiny OLED display to shine stats on a heads-up display. It looks like it’s fun to wear, and as shown around 5:30, you can even share it with others having difficulty breathing polluted air!

If you’d like to make your own, print files are available on Thingiverse, and you can find parts one and two on their channel for more background.

[h/t: Reddit]