Robots: Star Wars vs. the Real World

BB-8 is classified as an “astromech”—a fictional class of utility robots, generally used as mechanics to maintain and fix spacecraft. As it turns out, robots are actually helping astronauts on real space missions too. NASA and car manufacturer General Motors developed Robonaut 2 (R2), a humanoid robot, or a robot that resembles a human being. It’s been working with astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to make repairs and conduct experiments as the astronauts orbit Earth.

Although R2 looks like a person, it wasn’t made that way so astronauts could better relate to it. There’s actually a practical reason for its design, explains Kimberly Hambuchen, a robotics engineer at NASA. Everything on the ISS was created with human astronauts in mind. It’s necessary for a robot to be physically similar to a person so it can perform some of the same duties. “Other robots in space, like rovers on Mars, don’t look like humans because they’re not in human environments,” says Hambuchen.

One of R2’s most important features is its hands. They’re the same size and shape as a person’s so that it can grip the same tools as astronauts. For instance, it can hold an instrument that takes measurements of air quality aboard the ISS. And since R2 doesn’t breathe, it doesn’t interfere with readings the way a person’s breath could.

In the future, Hambuchen says, robots like R2 could perform dangerous jobs so astronauts don’t have to. For example, they could work on their own to make external repairs to spacecraft.

BB-8 is an “astromech.” That’s a fictional class of useful robots. They usually work as mechanics to maintain and fix spacecraft. But robots are helping astronauts on real space missions too. NASA and car manufacturer General Motors developed Robonaut 2 (R2). It’s a humanoid robot, or a robot that looks like a human being. It’s been working with astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS). The robot makes repairs and runs experiments as the astronauts orbit Earth.

R2 was made to look like a person. But that isn’t so astronauts could relate to it better. There’s a useful reason for its design, explains Kimberly Hambuchen. She’s a robotics engineer at NASA. Everything on the ISS was made with human astronauts in mind. A robot needs to be like a person physically so it can do some of the same jobs. “Other robots in space, like rovers on Mars, don’t look like humans because they’re not in human environments,” says Hambuchen.

One of R2’s most important features is its hands. They’re the same size and shape as a person’s. That way, it can hold the same tools as astronauts. For instance, one device measures air quality aboard the ISS. R2 can hold that device, and R2 doesn’t breathe. So it doesn’t affect readings, like a person’s breath could.

In the future, robots like R2 could do dangerous jobs, Hambuchen says. Then astronauts won’t have to. For example, robots could go outside the spacecraft to make repairs on their own. 

Droids have helped Star Wars heroes get out of some major jams. For example, R2-D2 once saved Luke and his friends Chewbacca, Han, and Leia aboard the evil Empire’s planet-destroying Death Star. The humans were trapped inside a trash compactor and nearly squished.

Robots help out on Earth too. Emergency workers use search-and-rescue robots to conduct surveillance after a natural or human-made disaster. The machines can enter areas too dangerous for people to explore. For instance, a robot was used to assess damage to the Fukushima nuclear reactor in Japan. The power plant suffered an explosion following a tsunami in 2011.

“Robots can also be designed to fit into spaces people and conventional machinery cannot go,” says Howie Choset, a roboticist at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. That allows them to travel through cramped, collapsed structures to look for survivors of an earthquake or bomb blast.

Choset has developed several small robots, including snake-like ones that can wriggle through tight spots. Another one of his robots resembles a cross between a spider and a crab. It balances on multiple legs as it walks over rubble.

Star Wars heroes have gotten into some major jams. Droids have helped them get out. For example, Luke and his friends Chewbacca, Han, and Leia were on the evil Empire’s planet-destroying Death Star. They were trapped inside a trash compactor. They almost got crushed, but R2-D2 saved them.

Robots help out on Earth too. Emergency workers use search-and-rescue robots after a natural or human-made disaster. Some areas are too dangerous for people to enter. So the machines go in and explore. For example, a tsunami hit the Fukushima nuclear reactor in Japan in 2011. The power plant suffered an explosion. A robot went inside to look for damage.

“Robots can also be designed to fit into spaces people and conventional machinery cannot go,” says Howie Choset. He’s a roboticist at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. These robots can travel through tight, collapsed structures. After an earthquake or bomb blast, they can look for survivors.

Choset has developed several small robots. Some are like snakes and can slip through tight spots. Another one looks like a cross between a spider and a crab. It balances on several legs and walks over rubble.

Scanlan, the Star Wars designer, believes that people have an emotional connection to the droids from the movies because designers give the bots anthropomorphic, or human-like, characteristics. “They’re full of personality, like clever children who are quite mischievous,” he says.

People develop similar connections when they interact with real-world robots that resemble animals. One example is Aibo. The technology company Sony created the robo-dog to act as a human companion, just like a real pet. Gail Melson, a professor of psychology at Purdue University in Indiana, discovered that children could easily relate to the robot because of its pup-like features.

“We found that children treated Aibo not so much as a machine but as an interactive partner,” she says. Although the kids knew they were playing with a robot, they felt a connection because the robot looked and acted like a real dog. And like a real pet, the kids felt a responsibility toward Aibo, saying it wouldn’t be right to get rid of the machine if they got bored with it.

Personal robots aren’t being designed just as emotional companions. Some help their owners with physical tasks. Henny Admoni, another roboticist from Carnegie Mellon, develops assistive robots. They can grasp and manipulate objects to help people who have difficulties performing everyday tasks like drinking from a cup, eating a meal, and getting dressed. “Robots don’t get tired and can be infinitely patient,” says Admoni. “They allow people with disabilities to be more independent.”

People have an emotional connection to the movie droids. Scanlan, the Star Wars designer, believes that’s because designers give the robots anthropomorphic, or human-like, characteristics. “They’re full of personality, like clever children who are quite mischievous,” he says.

People also develop emotional connections with real-world robots that seem like animals. One example is Aibo. The technology company Sony created this robo-dog. It acts as a human companion, just like a real pet. Gail Melson is a professor of psychology at Purdue University in Indiana. She found that children could easily relate to the robot. That’s because of its dog-like features.

“We found that children treated Aibo not so much as a machine but as an interactive partner,” she says. The kids knew they were playing with a robot. But they felt a connection because it looked and acted like a real dog. And the kids felt a responsibility toward Aibo, like a real pet. They said it wouldn’t be right to get rid of the machine if they got bored with it.

Personal robots aren’t just emotional companions. Some help their owners with physical tasks. Henny Admoni is another roboticist from Carnegie Mellon. She develops assistive robots. Some people have a hard time with everyday tasks like drinking from a cup, eating a meal, and getting dressed. Assistive robots can pick up and move objects to help them. “Robots don’t get tired and can be infinitely patient,” says Admoni. “They allow people with disabilities to be more independent.”

Star Wars hero Luke Skywalker wasn’t always a great lightsaber-wielding Jedi Master. He grew up on his aunt and uncle’s farm on the planet Tatooine. His uncle Owen purchased the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 to help on their farm.

On Earth, some farmers already use robotic tractors to harvest crops. These autonomous vehicles use sensors, like cameras and GPS, to navigate and scan for obstacles. However, most farms still rely on people to tend fields. “Crops often require a huge human workforce,” says George Kantor, a roboticist at Carnegie Mellon University who’s developing technology to help farmers. “The work is hot and dangerous, and there aren’t enough people willing to do these jobs—this is an opportunity for robotics.”

Kantor explains that, with the world’s population predicted to reach 9.8 billion by 2050, people will need to develop new technologies to improve harvest yields. That’s where his experimental FarmView system comes in. It consists of a flying drone, a mobile land robot, and stationary robots. Each has artificial intelligence—a computer’s ability to perform tasks normally associated with human intelligence. This type of programming allows the robots to survey large fields and identify the most robust plants much faster than a person could. The healthiest plants could then be selected to breed superior disease-resistant crops.

Just like on a farm, where work can be tedious and physically draining for humans, factories also rely on robots to perform tasks that are repetitive and dangerous. For instance, robots have long been used in car manufacturing plants to weld metal together or paint vehicles. Some might wonder if robots will someday completely replace people in the workforce, but Choset believes that’s unlikely to happen. As in the Star Wars universe, “robots are tools that people can use to do their jobs better,” he says.

Star Wars hero Luke Skywalker became a great Jedi Master. But he wasn’t always skilled with a lightsaber. He grew up on his aunt and uncle’s farm on the planet Tatooine. His uncle Owen bought the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 to help on their farm.

On Earth, some farmers already use robotic tractors to gather crops. These self-driving vehicles use sensors, like cameras and GPS. That’s how they find their way around. But people still tend fields on most farms. “Crops often require a huge human workforce,” says George Kantor. He’s a roboticist at Carnegie Mellon University, and he’s developing technology to help farmers. “The work is hot and dangerous, and there aren’t enough people willing to do these jobs—this is an opportunity for robotics.”

The world’s population is expected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050. Kantor explains that people will need to develop new technologies to help crops produce more. So he’s experimenting with a system called FarmView. It has a flying drone, a moving land robot, and robots that don’t move. Each has artificial intelligence. That’s a computer’s ability to perform tasks that normally involve human intelligence. This type of programming allows the robots to look at large fields and find the strongest plants. And they do it much faster than a person could. Then the healthiest plants could be used to breed better disease-resistant crops.

On a farm, work can be long, slow, and physically draining for humans. The same can be true at factories. So factories also use robots to handle tasks that are boring and dangerous. For example, robots have long been used in car manufacturing plants. They weld metal together or paint vehicles. 

Some people might worry: Will robots completely replace human workers someday? Choset believes that probably won’t happen. As in the Star Wars universe, “robots are tools that people can use to do their jobs better,” he says.