A personal energy shield was a defensive technology that projected a field of energy that protected the user from blaster fire, the elements, or other hazards. Most were small enough to be worn on a belt or arm, or were designed to be held much like a traditional physical shield.When activated, the device protected the wearer with a glowing energy field. Typically, the standard energy shield was only effective against energy attacks, such as blaster bolts. However, other variants created by the Mandalorians
, and other cultures, were capable of resisting a variety of different attacks, including electrical, kinetic, cold, heat, and sonic damage.Defensive methods also varied: some shields deflected incoming fire, others absorbed it, sometimes even recharging from the absorbed energy. Most energy shields provided protection for a short period of time before depleting, and their protective threshold also varied. Some of the shields were disposable, while others could be recharged or they recharged themselves over time.