"Sorry, That Cute Robot From the Star Wars Movies" Topic

…. Is Totally Impractical.

"In today's issue of the journal Science Robotics, Robin Murphy of Texas A&M University takes a cold look at some of the technology featured in recent Star Wars films—specifically, the BB-8 astromech droid—and, well, not to spoil everyone's fun, but the ball-shaped bot turns out to be not very realistic. In fact, writes Murphy, when biomechanics expert Dan Goldman of Georgia Tech tried rolling a toy version of BB-8 through sand-like material, it couldn't move at all. The feasibility of this particular droid, and even old-school R2D2, is "questionable," concludes Wright.

Ah well. Actually, NASA already knew that sandy terrain is hazardous for rolling robots, even ones with expensive, custom-built wheels. The Spirit rover eventually died on Mars after getting stuck in a sand pit in 2009, and drivers of Curiosity have to be careful to avoid terrain with slippery sand…"
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Amicalement
Armand

I'm pretty appalled someone wasted that much time arguing that one particular Star Wars droid is "impractical".

Also, since they have cheap and nigh ubiquitous anti-gravity technology, why should a robot every get stuck? It can have some anti-grav as backup. For that matter, if it always has the anti-grav partially on reducing its effective weight, maybe it doesn't get stuck. Etc, etc.

This is not far off from arguing Gandalf could have done X or couldn't have done Y.

Andrew Walters – I'm constantly surprised to see what gets people worked up. And what doesn't. There are lots of things to get upset about in the world. Star Wars isn't one of them.

I wonder how quickly real world problems could be solved or mitigated if half that effort and energy were directed to address them.

It was a long time ago.

In a galaxy far far away

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Generally most things we see in SF is impractical to say the least.

I mean what idiot would design a 60 ft. tall walking target ? Then compound the idiocy by painting it in bright circus color !?!?!?

Yea, that ball and half ball combo seems very, very doubtful, but so too was R2 with those tiny little wheels he must have had "rolling" through sand dunes, and rocky outcroppings as well.

Of course, only later do we find he may have jet-pack jump capability too.

Well first off they need to get the tech for it right.