Star Wars: The Rise of Robots and Intelligent Machines

Abstract

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, a space opera movie captured the imaginations of roboticists, researchers, and writers from around the world. Over the last 43 years, Star Wars has had an immense impact on our collective perception of robotics. It has introduced some of the most beloved droids as well as one of the most feared cyborgs in science fiction. In this panel, we will discuss how the Star Wars movies have influenced the design of robots and intelligent machines, including prosthetics, cybernetics, and artificial intelligence. We will show examples of how George Lucas portrayed good and evil in different types of technology and how he depicted human-robot teaming. These illustrations have driven how we design and interact with technology to this day. Whether you love or love-to-hate the movies, these are the droids discussions that you are looking for!