If you’ve always wanted a droid but don’t have a need for an intergalactic translator or a starship mechanic, Piaggio Fast Forward is giving its Gitamini a makeover suitable for a galaxy far, far away. Adopting the alphanumeric naming convention of robots in the Star Wars universe, G1T4-M1N1 is a special edition of the company’s cargo-carrying bot with decals, lights, and sound effects making it look like a droid you’d see rolling around Tatooine.
Developed in collaboration with Disney and Lucasfilm, G1T4-M1N1 is available starting today for $2,875 through PFF’s online store as well as DisneyStore.com. That’s $400 more expensive than the company’s standard Gitamini, which sells for $2,475, but if you’re a Star Wars fan the premium pricing may be easy to justify as G1T4-M1N1 will re-create the experience of having a loyal droid following you around – and it even has room to hold your lightsaber.
Originally launched in 2001 as a smaller and more affordable version of the company’s full-size Gita robot, Gitamini balances on two large wheels and uses an array of cameras and sensors, including radar, to avoid obstacles and autonomously follow you while walking at speeds of up to 6mph. Between its wheels is a compact cargo container that can hold up to 20 pounds, while Gitamini’s range maxes out at around 21 miles or seven hours of use, depending on the terrain and how much it’s carrying.
G1T4-M1N1 features all of the same functionality as its terrestrial counterpart, but enhanced with bright yellow Star Wars–inspired droid decals on its exterior panels and inside its cargo bin. PFF also uses custom droid sounds, similar to R2-D2’s beeps, chirps, and whistles, that change in response to your movements such as accelerating, decelerating, or just standing around idly.
The sounds, along with lights above each wheel that flash in various patterns, are also used to communicate G1T4-M1N1’s battery life and modes like pairing or parking. There may be a bit of a learning curve before you can interpret G1T4-M1N1’s communications as fluently as Luke talks to R2-D2, but a lot of the functionality is mirrored through PFF’s Mygita mobile app.
You can check battery life through the app, change the volume of sounds or mute them altogether, and give G1T4-M1N1 a custom name. The app can also be used to stream music to the robot, which will play through its own built-in Bluetooth speaker. John Williams’ The Imperial March or the Cantina Band song would both be great options, depending on what mood you’re looking for.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
