From BDX to Blue: How Disney and NVIDIA Are Shaping the Future of Robotics

Disney Imagineering has long been a pioneer in blending storytelling and technology—and the BDX droids are a perfect example. These boxy, expressive robots first appeared in early 2024, roaming Disneyland’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge as part of limited-time events. But they were just the beginning of something much bigger.

Meet the BDX droid trio:

• OSKAR-7 – The orange one, known for being playful and energetic. “Oscar” loves to engage with guests and show off its quirky dance moves.
• BESH-27 – The blue droid, curious and adventurous. “Besh” often leads the way through Black Spire Outpost, always investigating new surroundings.
• GREK-17 – The green droid is cautious and observant. “Geek” typically hangs back and watches carefully before taking a step forward, constantly analyzing its environment.

These droids aren’t just cute—they’re marvels of Imagineering. Designed with 14 actuators and four onboard speakers, an off-stage operator remotely controls each BDX unit. While guests may not notice, a handler is nearby, making these droids come to life with lifelike motion and reactive behaviors. In fact, during the 2024 D23 Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Imagineers showcased the entire development process of the BDX droids at their pavilion.

And that’s where this story takes a turn.

At the 2025 Disney Shareholder Meeting and again at NVIDIA’s GTC 2025 keynote, CEO Jensen Huang introduced the world to Blue—a robot that may resemble the BDX family but functions very differently. Created by NVIDIA, Google DeepMind, and Disney Research, Blue is fully autonomous. There’s no remote control, no backstage operator—just a humanoid AI-powered robot that learns from its surroundings using NVIDIA’s Isaac GROOT N1 Humanoid Foundation Model.

This groundbreaking shift marks a new era in robotics. While the BDX droids were designed to entertain and charm in the parks.  They will even appear in the upcoming 2026 film The Mandalorian and Grogu—Blue represents what’s next. With machine learning at its core and complete independence from human control, Blue is an evolution in robotics and interactive storytelling.

So are BDX and Blue the same? Not quite.

BDX droids like OSKAR-7, BESH-27, and GREK-17 are Imagineering masterpieces brought to life through remote operation. Blue, on the other hand, is the next generation—a self-aware machine capable of interacting with guests and environments in real-time.

Whether you’re a fan of droids in the parks or curious about the future of AI, this story connects it all.  From Disneyland to D23 to GTC, from puppeteering to full autonomy. Disney and NVIDIA are shaping the future—one droid at a time.

Check out the full video on SamsDisneyDiary for a look at the 2024 D23 panel, Disney’s 2025 Shareholder Meeting, and NVIDIA’s GTC keynote.

FUN FACT: A lesser-seen fourth BDX droid named Aurek—also known as the red droid—completes the lineup. Though Aurek has appeared less frequently due to early technical issues, it’s part of the full BDX family. In keeping with the Aurebesh naming theme (Aurek, Besh, Grek, Oskar), Aurek adds an assertive and bold presence to the group, rounding out the diverse personalities that bring these droids to life.