It’s 40 years, since ‘Star Wars’ first hit the silver screen, launching into our lives forever.

Now robots like R2-D2 are no longer just a sci-fi fantasy.

Lexy Haggard reports.

TRANSCRIPT

It was a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away – well not that long ago.

Vox 1: “My first ever film on the big screen was Star Wars 1977 at the Regent cinema just down there it was awesome and it’s still awesome today.”

The movie has had a major impact on robotics development, inspiring many current Roboticists.

QUT Professor in Robotics Jonathan Roberts, has been a fan of the franchise all his life his first ever R2-D2 among the memorabilia in his office.

Prof Jonathan Roberts,  QUT Robotics: “Well this Robot is actually a bit like the arms inside R2-D2, it’s a little bit bigger because it’s trying to reach a long way but the arms that are shown on R2-D2 that sort of come out and do all these things in the movies are actually very similar to this.”

Whether we will see the likes of C-3PO in the near future is less certain.

Prof Jonathan Roberts, QUT Robotics: “A lot of companies around the world have now got very good translation software. So the translation side is really coming along, but the humanoid robots are a hard thing to do.”

The Star Wars franchise has continued to entertain audiences of all ages through the decades.

Well, it’s been 40 years today since the first Star Wars movie’s release and fans can look forward to the next installment this December.

Princess Leia… Lexy Haggard, QUT News. And may the force be with you. To the falcon Chewie.