These Are The Real-Life Equivalents Of The Most Famous Star Wars Droids

Much as we adored Sphero's BB-8 droid, we'll admit that it's not a proper droid. 

Sure, it scampers around your ankles, making the sort of whistles and beeps that reduce grown men into giggling eight-year-olds - but it can't make you a cup of tea, nor can it file your tax return.

But we're getting there: the protocol droids and med bots of George Lucas' creation that we marvelled at as kids are slowly but surely becoming a life-enhancing reality. This chart from the Official Star Wars Fact File lists the classes of droids from the film saga (there are five, but you obviously knew that) along with their contemporary counterparts.

From construction machines to elderly companion robots, the future isn't as far, far away as you'd think.