An engineering student has built a working replica Mjolnir hammer like the one only Thor can operate in "The Avengers" movies. In a classic case of life imitating art the real-life version of the Marvel superhero's weapon uses electromagnetic and fingerprint scanning tech to only allow its creator to lift it.
Allen Pan is the inventor who built the functional device featured in the "Thor" films. He added a microwave oven's transformer electromagnetics inside the supersize hammer head.
The electromagnet uses electricity to create a magnetic field. This makes the hammer seem heavier than it actually is when it sits on a metal surface, becoming as immovable as King Arthur's sword in the stone.
Meanwhile, the super mallet's handle contains a touch sensor that is linked to an Arduino Pro Mini. Thus, when someone grabs the handle it switches on the electromagnetics inside the replica Mjolnir's head, according to Tech Times.
There is one exception in the entire universe. When the hammer's software identifies Pan's fingerprint it turns off the electromagnetics, allowing him to lift the device using one hand.
In a posted YouTube video Pan placed the electromagnetic hammer over a manhole cover, and then challenged people walking by to try lifting it. The results were quite entertaining.
Only one passerby in the video was able to figure out how to crack the replica Thor hammer's system, according to Tech Crunch.
The engineering student's invention is quite amazing in terms of bringing tech in Marvel comic books and films to life. In fact, Pan's gadget could later be used to help improve anti-theft devices.