Whether it’s Jedi and Sith or bounty hunters and stormtroopers, many turn up in full costume, representing the heroes and villains from the furthest corners of this galaxy far, far away.
Yet one group of characters is often missing: droids. Even though robotic characters such as R2D2 and C3PO are icons of the film franchise, their complex designs don’t often translate well into wearable costumes.
Cousins Mark Tan Sheng Yi and Daryl Alvisse, however, are hoping to change this. The two are experienced droid builders, who use real-life science and electronics to build robots from science fiction and fantasy.
“I think droid-building has come quite a long way since the early days. 3D printing has gone through so many advancements now which makes it easier. And we now have an international community willing to share their knowledge,” Alvisse told FMT Lifestyle.
“When we started, we didn’t have things like ChatGPT or YouTube to help you. It was a lot of trial and error. You had to be your own support group!” Tan added with a laugh.
Droid building is now a popular, if slightly niche hobby worldwide. Groups like the R2 Builders Club and BB-8 Builders Club boast thousands of members worldwide.
As of now, there is no local club, but Tan and Alvisse hope to start a “Malaysia Droid Builders Club” by Malaysia Day this year. They believe they are the first and second person in the country respectively to have built a life-size R2-D2 model here.
They are planning their first project: an R2-D2 droid in the colours of the Jalur Gemilang named R2-MY.
“I think a club or society will be a great way for people of like minds to meet and work on projects together. Having a society can also help with costs, as we can partner with related companies, such as those making chips or electronic components, to help with the costs of parts,” Tan said.
Both cousins were introduced to the wonders of droid building through the internet. Tan, an electrical engineer by training, said he’s loved building and crafting things since a child, and so gravitated towards this hobby.
Tan has since built six droids, including K2SO from Rogue One and C1-10P (Chopper) from “Star Wars Rebels”.
Alvisse got into the hobby quite unintentionally. A former drone builder, one of his suppliers, wanted to create “something impressive” to show off the capabilities of his new 3D printer. So, Alvisse built him R2-D2 of Star Wars, and has been hooked on this newfound hobby ever since.
Alvisse currently manages the STEM 4 ALL Makerspace in Evolve Mall, Petaling Jaya, a “headquarters” of sorts for their droid-building activities.
Tan explained many droid builders liked to start by building R2-D2, as the astromech droid had an iconic design that was relatively simple to build.
Alvisse showed a life-sized, remote-controlled R2-D2 droid he built in 2017. The small, cylindrical droid swivels and rolls around just like its on-screen counterpart. With speakers installed, it can even produce the beloved beeps and boops of R2-D2.
Built entirely from over 2,500 individual 3D-printed parts, the R2-D2 project took nine months to complete.
Droid building can be a challenging hobby sometimes, particularly when it comes to sourcing parts locally. Despite this, the cousins still described it as a fun activity that brought people together, fostered STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) skills, and offered a unique outlet for creativity.
“The best times are when we can bring R2-D2 out, and people don’t know who is piloting him. Children crowd around him and think he’s alive. Seeing their faces light up with joy is wonderful,” Tan said.
“To have people take photos with something you’ve worked hard to create gives you a great feeling. And when you tell them they too can learn to build it easily, they get really amazed. It really sparks their imagination,” Alvisse concluded.
Follow the STEM 4 All Makerspace on Facebook and Instagram for information on the upcoming Malaysia Droid Builders Club.