This bluetooth and USB compatible R2D2 droid thing is actually a research project designed to create a companion robot that people will not flee from. The folks at the University of Pisa—the one in Italy, not the one near Scranton—built this thing to replicate the jolly look and feel of everyone’s favorite midget inside a can.
The prototype cost about $70,000 but it’s actually pretty nice that the used one of the most familiar faces in droid-dom to make people feel comfortable. And, this isn’t confirmed, this fellow runs away from sabers of any size and color.
“Real” R2D2 made in italy [Codewitch]
