Jedi Technology
Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and the one piece of technology that no Jedi can afford to be without...his lightsaber.
The Jedi have never been over-reliant on technology. Although their primary weapon, the lightsaber, is in many ways a technological device, it is something beyond that; the lightsaber is an extension of the Jedi himself, built by the weilder's own hand and bound to him via the Force. In absolute terms, the only pieces of mundane technology the Jedi trouble themselves with are comlinks and breathmasks.
In years long since past, the Jedi had their own ships, and an allied military in the form of the Freedom Warriors...but the Council has long since done away with such things, preferring to stay in tune with the Republic government's view of this era as one of "peace and civilization." The Jedi of the Episode I era must make travel accomodations much like any other person, although for diplomatic missions of importance, the Republic often furnishes transportation. The Jedi of this era are dependent upon the Jedi Council for money to sustain them on their journeys, much like the warrior-priests of our own world's history were dependent upon their temples and the charity of others. Few of the Jedi own vessels of their own, or little much else, for that matter. The one thing a Jedi has that he truly calls his own is his lightsaber.
It is interesting to note just how well-versed some Jedi are in the inner workings of the galaxy's technology. Although in some instances this may be a Force-enhanced intuition for certain individuals (like Anakin Skywalker, and his grandson and namesake, Anakin Solo), it is more often a subject of interest and study. Obi-Wan Kenobi shows a real knack for vehicles and their systems, learning how to drive a Gungan sub and tinkering on the Nubian 327 hyperdrive on Queen Amidala's ship. One could speculate that many Jedi feel that the ability to repair and modify technology is even more important than owning it; after all, if you fix a prospective pilot's ship for him, you have created more than just a willing business partner ...you have made a friend.
Perhaps the most intriguing technological facet of the Jedi Order is the midi-chlorian test. This test measures the number of midi-chlorians (a type of microscopic organism found to varying degrees in living cells) in a subject's bloodstream, which can give the Jedi analyzing the results a good indicator of the subject's raw Force potential. The midi-chlorians themselves are not sentient beings, per se, but are highly in-tune with the Force, and when the mind is trained to feel the signals the midi-chlorians receive from the flow of energy through them, those signals can put one in touch with the Force. The midi-chlorians are a medium for Force energy(WEBMASTER: This idea upsets some fans a bit, but I don't see why. After all, it's a scientific fact that there are millions of microscopic organisms living inside your body...Lucas simply took that notion and decided that some of these organisms might just be the sentient mind's link to the living Force. The Force's mystical qualities aren't diminished in any way; it's still a "mysterious Force of Life," only now we have a handy pseudo-science reason for why only some people have the potential to truly understand it. Lighten up, people!). Contrary to popular belief, not all Jedi can accurately sense the Force potential of another being; the midi-chlorian test helps account for that, so fewer potential Jedi are missed by searching masters. Unfortunately, Episodes II and III are destined to go badly for the Jedi Knights, and one part of their collective knowledge that will be lost is the midi-chlorian test...the Council's secrecy is a two-edged sword. If the test were common knowledge around the galaxy, yes, there might be a great many fraudulent claims (although these could be weeded out pretty quickly by real Jedi), but because it is not, Luke Skywalker will have a very hard time indeed finding adequate candidates for his Jedi Academy decades from now. Perhaps the Jedi of later eras will be lucky enough to come across a Jedi Holocron that will restore this piece of Jedi learning and lore.
Jedi Technology game data
