LucasFilm sets lawyers on Jedi nameswipers

Your favourite quote adapted for the occasion goes here

By Bill Ray, 24th August 2010

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LucasFilm has filed a $5m trademark suit against "Jedi Mind Inc", claiming that the company has failed to phase out its use of the word 'Jedi'.

The lawsuit is actually quite restrained for LucasFilm, a company famously proactive in defence of its brands. Reuters reports that Jedi Mind was sent a cease and desist letter last May and promised to phase out the name, something it has allegedly comprehensively failed to do - prompting the lawsuit.

Jedi Mind Inc makes software that integrates a $300 brainwave-reading headset from Emotive with a desktop computer - enabling thought-controlled games ("Think Tac Toe"), and desktop interaction ("Jedi Mouse").

Quite why the company thought it would be OK to use the word "Jedi" is a mystery. LucasFilm owns the rights to everything Jedi-related, including (but not limited to) the "robes, lightsaber, the power to levitate objects, a telepathic oneness with other Jedi in the universe". "Jedi Mind" isn't specifically mentioned, but can surely be assumed.

Not only that, but if LucasFilm don't keep pursuing infringements it'll lose control. The company has already seen the word slide to the more harmless nutter community, but allowing a commercial concern to trade on the good name of the Jedi Knights was too much.

Not to mention that LucasFilm has its own thought-powered toy to promote: the "Star Wars Force Trainer", £75.99 from all good toy shops. So if anyone is going to make money on users' ability to think clearly then it's going to be George Lucas. ®

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