Chapter 9

1. What is your favorite movie robot? How would you describe its personality?

   This is, of course, a subjective question. I’m a big R2D2 fan. R2 is feisty, determined, and stubborn as well as being a faithful companion and helper. R2 will get you out of a jam, fix your starfighter, provide cover from hostile fire, and hack Imperial computers. He is a Swiss army knife on wheels.

2. What techniques did the movie-makers use to express R2D2’s personality (body language, sounds, etc.)?

   R2D2 owes his personality to a combination of his emotional beeps and squawks (provided by Ben Burtt) and his body movements provided by having a person inside his chassis (Kenny Baker). They were stuck with the not-very versatile chassis designed for the first Star Wars movie, which only has a head that moves. Most of R2’s persona comes through in his sounds, including his famous scream.

3. What are the two types of chatbots? List some of the strengths and weaknesses of each...