R2-D2

I previously did some contract work at a New England company where one of their regular staffed employee is a ‘Star Wars’ fanatic. So huge a fan is he that he actually built his own life-size robot, R2-D2. He started on his robot project about 10 years ago, building the robot in his spare time. It’s not easy getting parts for his robot. He has to surf the internet to find the proper sized part for his project. Cost is also a factor. Then he still has to modify the part so that it fits his robot. The R2-D2 robot is roughly 90% complete. The camera lense and the audio components have yet to be found (on the internet) and fitted into the robot.

R2-D2 is approximately 42 inches tall and is about 125 pounds heavy. I know because I helped unload R2-D2 from a truck flatbed. R2-D2 was brought out to a barbeque cookout that I attended. R2-D2 was quickly a huge draw with the neighborhood kids. With a master remote control, the robot could spin its head and zip down the street on its treaded wheel legs.

For those who don’t know who R2-D2, watch the ‘Star Wars’ movies. R2-D2 is one of many original fictional characters of George Lucas’ ‘Star Wars’ motion picture saga. R2-D2 is the short, round metal robot (on left in photo below). His sidekick, C3PO is the slimmer, taller robot.