In 1977, R2-D2 began his ongoing assault on the hearts of moviegoers. The most beloved robot creation in the world, is now a part of the collection showcased at the Smithsonian, particullary honored with the recent inclusion in the Carnegie Mellon University Robot Hall of Fame.
As the story goes, George Lucas created R2D2 after being influenced by the Akira Kurosawațs “The Hidden Fortress” and by Douglas Trumbull’s, “Silent Running,” . The original Star Wars films featured two distinct R2-D2 models. The distinct models, one remote controlled and another worn by an actor, both appear in the movie, in order to recreate the story. The special sound effects world-wide known now as the “voice” of R2-D2 were created by Ben Burtt. The fammous sound designer used an analog synthesizer and his own processed voice to make it up.
Briton James Bruton, from Xrobots.co.uk, is a legend with his desktop, 3D printed science-fiction inspired projects. As you may suspect, one of his most beloved creations is a 3D printed version of R2-D2. You can find and download the CAD files for one of his most impressive builds – a full-sized version of the R2-D2 robot of Star Wars fame here. Various techniques were used – from 3D printing, electronics, sculpting, molding, casting and textiles – to build any figurine that one could ever dream of.
Bruton has a popular YouTube channel which features weekly video releases of his work, designs and tutorials. He owns Creative Resources Distribution Limited.4. His detailed explanations of his approach to the design and execution of his projectsis something that his fans look forward to. He mainly uses sponsors money and Patreon.com support money from fans, in order to keep the channel going.
Full-Sized, 3D Printed R2-D2 Robot
He is now sharing data and advice for all those that want to try building his 3D printed R2D2 via Github. This is a version of the classic robot which is lightweight – about 30% lighter. Bruton hopes to have a fully-operational result that will include all the necessary servos, motors lighting and sound capabilities to make it amazingly realistic.
