Movies - TV
R2-D2’s Third Leg Caused A Lot Of Problems Behind The Scenes Of Star Wars
By RAFAEL MOTAMAYOR
R2-D2, a widely celebrated and iconic droid sidekick, presented unforeseen challenges during its development, posing hurdles for the cast and crew involved in “Star Wars.”
Tony Dyson, the designer of R2-D2 units for “The Empire Strikes Back,” talked to Star Wars Universe about the issues faced with the robot's third leg during production.
"The overall design of R2 tends to be a little unstable, due to the fact that the legs are connected to the highest part of the body," Dyson said.
Dyson explained that electronic activators push down the third leg and that the foot has a drive wheel that moves the leg forward when it touches the ground.
The designers found a workaround. "When it locks off, this forms a tripod configuration and should also allow the droid to drive on rough ground and even mount stairs," Dyson said.