'Star Wars' droids aren't as far, far away as we thought

Star Wars droid characters BB8, R2D2 and C3P0 make an appearance at the Academy Awards. Ever since Star Wars first hit theaters in the '70s, many fans have wondered what it might be like to have your own personal R2-D2 by your side. A researcher at Texas A&M says while modern robots aren't exactly the droids we're looking for right now, there are signs robots use similar techniques as R2-D2 and BB-8, introduced during the latest Star Wars movie trilogy. "The word'droid' has become so ubiquitous in our collective consciousness that it is hard to believe that the word was created, and trade marked, by George Lucas," wrote Robin R. Murphy in the latest issue of Science Robotics. "But, it is believable that Star Wars robots can imitate or motivate real science." A feature of both droids applicable to today's robots is the use of nonverbal communication, Murphy writes.