New droids in training spotted in Batuu at Disneyland
Lucky Disneyland guests got the opportunity to meet a trio of droids in training who visited Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge yesterday.
The one-day play test with Walt Disney Imagineers was designed to see what the three droids in training – named Blue, Orange, and Green – can do.
Developed by the galaxy’s brightest minds, the latest free-roaming robotic characters are being tested by Imagineers in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at @disneyland today. A part of Disney’s robotic character pipeline, Imagineers have teamed-up with animators to design characters capable of great balance and highly expressive motions.
Walt Disney Imagineering
According to Disney Research Associate Lab Director Moritz Bacher, the droids’ ability to imitate motion is “the secret sauce.”
“They can actually emote and learn to dance a happy dance,” Bacher said. “They can [also] get really angry and the eyes turn red.”
Plus, he notes, the adorable droids can balance on their own and walk over uneven terrain, something that’s necessary for navigating Black Spire Outpost.
“We’re really excited to see the guests reaction to these and where it might go in the future,” said Executive Research & Development Imagineer Joel Peavy.
Disney hasn’t said when (or if) Blue, Orange, and Green will appear again, but hopefully, they’ll find a home in both versions of Batuu at some point in the not-so-distant future.
