News: This Real-Life, Working WALL-E Robot Is Absolutely Perfect (And Built Entirely from Scratch)

Want to build your own life-sized, working replica of WALL-E? Be prepared to take on a second job! Mike Senna spent two years perfecting his own version, working 25 hours a week and totaling somewhere around 3,800 hours for the whole project. He had no blueprints to go by, so he spent a lot of time watching the movie over and over to get everything just right. The video below shows some of the construction; skip to about the one minute mark to see WALL-E in action.

When it comes to authenticity, Senna says it's all about the details. The front, back, and top panels were all painted to look weathered.

The solar panels on top...

The back panel even has the logo for Buy 'N Large, the huge corporation responsible for all the garbage WALL-E has to clean up in the movie.

Senna designed all the movement mechanisms himself, including the drive tracks and all the electronics.

The head and eyes have got to be one of the most impressive parts. You can see what all they can do in the video below.

The eyes, which are one of the most realistic and expressive parts, were made with some surprisingly simple materials you can find at any hardware store, including a PVC reducer. He even included logos on the lenses, which he was able to put on with just a normal inkjet printer.

The final product can roll, wave, move its head and arms, and even say its name, just like in the movie.

Not only does this robot look and sound almost exactly like the real thing, it's also being used to make a difference. WALL-E visits sick children in the hospital and goes to events organized by City of Hope to interact with pediatric cancer survivors.

Check out this interview from Maker Faire...

And go to Senna's blog to learn more.