 |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
Industrial Automaton
One of the largest droid manufacturing corporations in the galaxy, it produces among other models the popular MD-series of medical droids and the R-series of astromech droids. Industrial Automaton was formed during the time of the Old Republic through the merger of Industrial Intellect and Automata Galactica.
The other half of the "Big Two," Cybot Galactica being the other half. Models include: Asp, Decon Droid, Elegance Message Drone, MD Medical Specialist, FLR Logger ("Lumberdroid"), LOM Protocol Droid, Hound-W2 SPD, MN-2E General Maintenance Droid, P2 and R1 Astromechs, R2 Astromechs, R2 and R4 Astromechs, R5 Astromech, R6 and R7 Astromechs, SE4 Servant Droid, Q9-X2.
Any of a number of utility droids, generally programmed for navigation and starship repair. Astromechs are generally designated by an "R" unit name, such as "R3" unit or "R4" unit. The most familiar are the R2 units, including Luke Skywalker's loyal R2-D2. Most astromechs are designed to fit into special "sockets" aboard starfighters such as the Y-wing and X-wing. During flight, they can navigate, access hyperspace coordinates stored in their memory banks, and do in-flight repairs.
Industrial Automaton's R2 astromech droids are perfectly suited for starship maintenance. Many are used by the Royal House of Naboo as in-flight counterparts for the N-1 Starfighter. All Naboo astromechs have been fitted with repulsorlifts and maneuvering jets to assist in performing emergency extravehicular repairs.
Industrial Automaton's first attempts to create an astromech droid surfaced with the design of the P2 unit. Like future models, the astromech prototype had a rotating head, numerous retractable manipulator arms, and three-wheeled legs. Although large and cumbersome, the droid served well as a maintenance and repair unit for bulk cruisers and similar vessels. Unfortunately, Industrial Automaton became involved in a costly technology-infringement lawsuit and the P2 series was discontinued.
Eventually, Industrial Automaton completed the R1 unit. In order to save costs, the droids were housed in tall, black shells recycled from the Mark II Reactor Drone series. The R1 series comes standard with an advanced Intellex III computer, and the droid was the first astromech with the ability to calculate coordinates for a single hyperspace jump. R1 units typically serve as technicians aboard capital warships and large freighters.
By far the most successful astromech droid is Industrial Automaton's R2 series. The droid is much more compact than its predecessors and equipped with a wide array of tools. Although originally designed as a diagnostic and repair unit, the R2 can also serve as a general utility droid and conduct information retrieval.
Astromech Droid
The R2 series was manufactured to fit perfectly into standard astromech sockets on military starfighters. Previously, the sockets were reserved for dedicated government models. While situated in the astromech socket, an R2 unit can monitor flight performance, isolate and repair technical problems, and reroute power throughout the shipboard systems. Due to its advanced processor, an R2 can perform over 10,000 operations per second to forecast potential problems. R2s can also store up to 10 sets of hyperspace coordinates and can even perform rudimentary flight maneuvers such as engine start-up and preflight taxiing. Due to its impressive abilities, the Industrial Automaton R2 unit quickly became popular with Old Republic fighter jocks and the public at large.
R2s are programmed with specifications on over 700 different spacecraft configurations. They also have impressive sensor packages that incorporate a full-spectrum transceiver and electromagnetic, heat, motion, and life-form detectors. An extendible video sensor can be used to inspect small spaces. Beneath an R2's shell lurks an array of amazing tools that includes two manipulator arms, an electric arc welder, a circular saw, a holographic projector, an internal cargo compartment, and a fire extinguisher.
Following the success of the R2, Industrial Automaton manufactured the R3 and R4 units. The R3 has a more advanced Intellex V computer programmed with detailed statistics on every vessel in the Old Republic army. It primarily serves gunnery crews, security troopers, and naval chiefs of operation aboard capital warships. It can also be plugged into a starfighter, although it only carries five hyperspace coordinates.
In a successful attempt to sell droids to Outer Rim inhabitants, Industrial Automaton produced the inexpensive yet durable R4 unit. It is programmed with a detailed knowledge of many general-purpose craft, including landspeeders and airspeeders, and excels at repairing such vehicles. They are usually found in garages and machine shops, and are only rarely used aboard starfighters as they can only store a single set of hyperspace coordinates.
R5 units represent Industrial Automaton's only real failure in the astromech market. While the most affordable of all astromechs, the R5 series lacks the R2's versatility and the R4's reliability. It also has a tendency to develop annoying personality quirks and is prone to a variety of malfunctions including blown motivators and chronic overheating. Starfighter pilots shunned the droid because it could only store one set of hyperspace coordinates. Because of its limitations, the R5 series was quietly discontinued. The Rebel Alliance did reprogram and rebuild a number of R5 units, and these select droids are now capable of storing up to 10 sets of nav coordinates. Wedge Antilles used R5-D2 (nicknamed "Mynock") as his X-wing astromech during the Battle of Borleias. However, the droid's chronic shrieking forced Wedge to have Mynock's memory wiped. R5-D2 was subsequently renamed R5-G8, or "Gate."
More recent astromech models include the R6 and R7 units. The R6's design is based largely on the R2, but it has an improved processor and can store up to 12 hyperspace jumps. Because of widespread prosperity caused by the rise of the New Republic and huge advances in technology, the R6 proved less expensive to produce than the R2 and thus attracted hordes of consumers.
When Grand Admiral Thrawn took control of the remnants of the Empire, Industrial Automaton dedicated all its efforts to developing a new droid for use in the versatile E-wing starfighter used by New Republic forces. The resulting R7 proved to be the most sophisticated astromech ever constructed. It can store a staggering 15 sets of hyperspace coordinates and is completely protected against power surges and low-level ion blasts. Unfortunately, because the R7 is designed specifically for the E-wing, the droid works poorly in other starfighters.
|
 |
 |
|
© 2002 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM or ® where indicated. All rights reserved. Used under authorization.
© 2002 Hasbro. All rights reserved. All audio, visual and textual content on this site (including all names, characters, images, trademarks and logos) are protected by trademark rights, copyrights and other rights owned by Hasbro or by Hasbro’s licensors, licensees, suppliers and accounts.
Click here for details.
Use of this site signifies your agreement to the
Terms and Conditions of Use.
|
