【X-Deal (2011)】

You don't have X-Deal (2011)to be Anakin Skywalker to build your own droid these days -- you just need the littleBits Droid Inventor Kit, which launches Sept. 1 as part of Force Friday II, the worldwide event unveiling of all the Star Wars merchandise set to be released for Episode VIII: The Last Jedi.

Similar to Lego, littleBits provides an open source system of color-coded electronic building blocks that snap together using magnets -- so you can't connect the wrong pieces -- making it surprisingly easy for kids (and grown-up kids) to come up with their own inventions. The blocks each have a unique function, including sensors, lights, motors, wheels and sounds, creating endless possibilities for design and play.

SEE ALSO: Like Legos? You'll Love LittleBits

"Our mission is to get kids excited about being inventors, so we want them to be problem solvers, we want them to be creative, and most importantly to be excited about STEM and STEAM, particularly with art included," says founder and CEO Ayah Bdeir. The company hopes that girls, especially, will be engaged by the creativity of the product, given the dearth of women in STEM industries.

The Droid Inventor Kit comes with everything you need to build a working R2-D2 unit right out of the box, as well as a free app which features Rey as your mentor, guiding you through the process with step-by-step instructions. The app also includes 16 missions and activities to explore with your droid, including taking selfies and avoiding obstacles.

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The R2 unit and app come equipped with several modes including Drive, which allows you to control it via the app; Self-Nav; and Force Mode, using sensors that allow you to "Force Push" your droid without touching it. Naturally, the kit is loaded with 20 authentic R2 noises from the movies, just to give you the full experience of having a little droid sidekick -- and we can say from experience, seeing the right combination of pieces snap together to elicit R2's signature beep-boopsounds is wildly satisfying.

SEE ALSO: LittleBits Brings Big Installations to the Museum of Modern Art

Once you've mastered the basics, you can customize your R2 unit by combining the blocks with household objects like tupperware or milk cartons, or buying additional littleBits blocks to add more features -- including an LED matrix that you can program to create changing light displays or animations.

littleBits' Droid Inventor Kit will retail for $99.95 from Walmart, Apple Store, Amazon & littlebits.com beginning September 1.

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