Walt Disney Imagineering‘s BD-X droids have returned to the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge land at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.
The new Disney robots were tested for one day only last October at the Star Wars-themed land. Now, they are making daily appearances during Disneyland’s Season of the Force event until 2 June, as confirmed by Imagineering alongside a new video on Instagram.
Exclusive to Disneyland currently, the free-roaming droids can interact with visitors, emote, dance, and walk on uneven terrain.
“The robots actually learn to imitate artistic motion – that’s the secret sauce to make them work so quickly. They can actually emote and learn to dance,” Moritz Bächer, associate lab director at Disney Research, said last year.
“They can get really angry and the eyes turn red. They walk over uneven terrain. They can still balance. They’re really robust.”
“We’re really excited to see the guest reaction to these and where it might go in the future,” said executive R&D Imagineer Joel Perry.
Disney Research and Imagineering are working on various robotics projects, including “untethered” robots that fly using “hybrid air and water power”.
Disney robotics innovations
Disney recently filed a patent application for a robotic arm to transfer ride vehicles in theme parks from a support structure on one path to another.
As well as the BD-X droids, Imagineering has been testing its new Baby Groot robot at Disney California Adventure.
Last week, Imagineering unveiled its most advanced audio-animatronic figures to date, created for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disney’s US parks.
Images courtesy of Disney
