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New Technology Robots on Screen ENGINEERING PERSONALITY INTO ROBOTS EMERGING TECHNOLOGY Robots that have personalities and interact with humans have long been the preserve of sci-fi films, although usually portrayed by actors in costumes or CGI. However, as the field of robotics develops, these robots are becoming real. Technology journalist Richard Gray talks to Matt Denton, electrical software and robotics engineer, and Lee Towersey, amateur robot builder, about the scene-stealing, real-life Star Wars droids. proving it was real robot; it was the 1927 German silent movie, mechanisms were not as science fiction turned into reality. Metropolis. However, in this, like precise as they are now,” recalls This little ball-shaped robot so many films that came after, Towersey. “They did try using highlights how Hollywood is the robot was merely an actor robots but, towards the end, now at the cutting edge of in a suit. crew members were having robotics development. The film Even in the original Star to pull them around on string industry’s demands are almost Wars movies, hailed for their to get them to move in a unique in the robotics world – innovative special effects when straight line.” few other applications require they were made in the 1970s, This lack of control generally machines to move in lifelike the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 led to robotics being used to ways, react to the humans were brought to life by humans bring onscreen monsters to life. around them and, perhaps most inside suits. Famously, the late Think about the shark bursting Star Wars: The Force Awakens droid BB-8 poses in front of press and fans at the Los Angeles premiere of the film. Originally thought to be computer generated, there was surprise and awe when it was revealed that the robot was real © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved importantly, have a personality. actor Kenny Baker spent hours from the water in Jaws and the BB-8 is a perfect example inside R2-D2 in the original films, fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex in of how the skills and tenacity wearing the robotic shell almost Jurassic Park. The animatronics With stars such as Harrison Ford of engineers can transform like a rucksack and controlling used to create the dinosaur in and Carrie Fisher walking the red lifeless hunks of electronics the movements from inside. Steven Spielberg’s 1993 movie carpet at the world premiere of and motors into something In The Force Awakens, the were cutting edge at the time, the most recent Star Wars film, magical to capture viewers’ R2-D2 that appears on the but it could essentially do just The Force Awakens, it would have hearts. “Basically, we are just screen is a real robot. Towersey three things: blink, move its taken something very special given drawings by the concept and his colleague Oliver Steeples head and open its mouth. to steal the spotlight. Yet this is artists and some guidance from were amateur robot builders ENGINEERING exactly what happened when the director, then it is up to us who were recruited by the a two-foot-tall robot rolled out to work out how to make it all production team to use their NEW TECHNOLOGY onto the red carpet, in front of work,” explains Lee Towersey, a skills to create a real working As servomotors (which allow the world’s media. member of the creature effects R2-D2 droid. for precise control of angular Named BB-8, this spherical team on the new Star Wars films It highlights the drive or linear position, velocity and droid, dreamed up by the film’s who built many of the droids. within the film industry to take acceleration), and perhaps more PERSONALITY director JJ Abrams, was a huge advantage of the huge changes importantly, the microcontrollers hit with fans. However, most in technological capability needed to coordinate their had believed it to be the work ROBOTS ON SCREEN that have taken place since actions have improved and of clever computer-generated Robots have been appearing the original Star Wars movies grown smaller, the possibilities graphics. The droid’s surprise in films for nearly 100 years. were made. in robotics have opened up. appearance at the premiere in The first known appearance of “The technology wasn’t Suddenly, directors have found INTO ROBOTS Los Angeles stunned many by one on the big screen was in really there then and the control that they can get their robotic 12 INGENIA INGENIA ISSUE 69 DECEMBER 2016 13 ENGINEERING PERSONALITY INTO ROBOTS EMERGING TECHNOLOGY stars to convey emotion and As BB-8 is a round droid that’s body moves in all directions while its head stays still, creating the robot proved even personality. defeat. A separate radio-control challenging for the engineers. The ball-bearings on the underside of its head attach it magnetically to the top of the “There was only so much unit was used in each version to body, which allows it to move freely when the body rotates © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved we could do with R2-D2 to give allow the head to twist and tilt him character,” says Towersey. on the body on cue, giving BB-8 “He can drive around, we can its precocious and often comic rotate his head and he can make characterisation. sounds. The off-road versions had “However, BB-8 is much more stabilisers fixed to the back, interactive. I think a lot of kids turning the robot into a three- who grew up with the prequel wheel-drive trike with the films, which had extensive CGI head fixed on a bracket, while in them, expected BB-8 to be another version was essentially computer generated, so when a wheelbarrow pushed by a they saw that it was a real robot puppeteer. They also had a moving about, they were blown lightweight version that could away.” Computer-generated be carried and a ‘bowling ball’ graphics became a major BB-8’s personality is engineered through the ability to tilt and turn its head. Throughout the film, these simple version that could be thrown movements show the viewer the droid’s emotions and give it an almost childlike personality © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. component of the Star Wars films All Rights Reserved into shot but remain upright. when director George Lucas But it was only during an decided to make the prequels. new ways of showing emotion The problem Denton turnaround prototypes that had enforced gap in filming, caused The decision to revert and personality. You can move and Lee faced was that their to work. Usually, they only have by actor Harrison Ford breaking back to so-called ‘practical the body around slowly to point BB-8 was going to face some to work for a few weeks but BB-8 his leg on set, that the pair effects’ (what physical props the other way, you can dip unpredictable and difficult had to survive a whole year’s returned to the idea of building are called in the special FX the head a little, cock it to one conditions, yet had to stand up shooting.” a fully working sphere robot. world) left the engineers in the side. There is a huge amount of to the rigours of a frantic filming In the end, the pair created “We started thinking about what During filming, eight different versions of the droid were created to be used in a variety of locations and situations creature workshop with a major emotion that effectively comes schedule. “We had to operate eight different versions of the would happen when we got to © David James (top), John Wilson (bottom) Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved challenge. Director JJ Abrams from three axes of movement.” on sand and rough terrain,” robot: some that could be used the red carpet,” recalls Denton. had sketched out his idea on a There were existing examples explains Denton. “But none of in rough outdoor terrain, one “Everyone would want to see The head ‘floats’ on top of the to take over some of the job of the servomotors in a head into napkin for a ball-shaped robot of spherical robots on the the methods out there would that would stay stationary and BB-8 but they wouldn’t want to body so that it can be tilted delivering emotion in robotic different expressions so you can and asked the team to see what market. One, built by researchers work in all those conditions some that would work inside. see a static version. That is what and turned, giving BB-8 its characters. “We are starting to get some really interesting facial they could come up with. Matt at Uppsala University in Sweden, while also hitting marks over and The simplest of these was drove us to figure out how it distinctive, almost childlike have control systems that sit movements. We have also been Denton, an electrical software features cameras on either side over again. something they nicknamed was going to work. When we personality. It seemed so lifelike on a robotic head and pick up working on automated blinks or and robotics engineer, and his and has been tested by the US “There is a temptation to the ‘wiggler’, which could be first rolled it out on stage in that photographers on the red the movement of the actor,” he breath cycles, so you can have long-time colleague Josh Lee Military as a security droid. It over engineer it, but sometimes bolted to the floor and the 2015, no-one was expecting carpet at the premiere called explains.
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