Star Wars' R2-D2 Turned into a Web Camera

The Star Wars series (all six episodes of it) has been and still is one of the most popular stories around, with numerous characters that have actually transcended their on-screen status and have become a part of everyday culture and life, as well as a source of inspiration for all the technology designers out there. And a very good example of this situation is represented by the R2-D2 Wireless Web Camera presented by the people over at Hammacher Schlemmer, a device that mimics in a very high level of detail the external design of the very popular robotic character, while actually being able to carry out several interesting functions.

The device is a full-function, 628 x 528 pixel web camera that wirelessly transmits real-time video and audio to a computer and has worldwide remote access capabilities, as it allows the users to control R2-D2's movements and access the web camera from a laptop or a PC anywhere in the world.

In order to remain in the same Star Wars universe and unlike lesser real-time cameras that are tethered to a computer, R2-D2 is controlled via a lightsaber-shaped remote that makes the droid move forward, backward, left and right (including 360 spins). Moreover, the device sports a sensor located on R2-D2's front leg, detects desk or table ledges and automatically stops the droid from proceeding while signaling an audible warning.

The web camera takes digital photos and snapshots and it has voice record, zoom and tilt functions. Moreover, the R2-D2 replica is capable of "saying" 11 different phrases and astromech droid sounds from the original Star Wars soundtrack.

Despite the fact that this thing is quite funny and an interesting peripheral to have around, the fact that it retails for around 350 US dollars might really scare away the normal customers (although the hardcore Star Wars fans will most likely fork out the money).

We are just a few, but there are many of you, Softpedia users, out there. That's why we thought it would be a good idea to create an email address for you to help us a little in finding gadgets we missed. Interesting links are bound to be posted with recognition going mainly to those who submit. The address is .