Student Spotlight: Building Innovation – Bella Price, Taylor Stigall, and James Pennington’s Functional Droid

At Mississippi State University’s Innovation, Design, and Engineering Education Laboratory (IDEELab), creativity and engineering excellence collide—and few projects showcase this better than the robotic droid being designed by Bella Price, Taylor Stigall, and James Pennington.

Inspired by the Star Wars universe, these students are not simply building a replica. They’re applying core principles of mechanical engineering, advanced manufacturing, and programming to construct a fully functional droid from scratch.

Engineering Meets Imagination

Using a blend of:

• CNC machining

• 3D printing

• Electronic controls

the team tackled every aspect of development—from designing the structural frame to creating mobility systems, coding onboard behaviors, and completing the finishing details.

Unlike simple hobbyist projects, their droid is designed to serve a real-world function: greeting visitors and students at IDEELab events, creating an engaging and innovative demonstration of MSU’s hands-on engineering education.

Real-World Applications

This project also highlights how partnerships, such as IDEELab’s growing relationship with Milwaukee Tool, are opening doors for students to apply classroom knowledge to industry-relevant, high-standards environments.

Projects like Bella, Taylor, and James’s demonstrate that innovation isn’t just encouraged at IDEELab—it’s actively built, one bolt, circuit, and servo at a time.

Conclusion

From concept to creation, this droid project exemplifies the IDEELab spirit: blending creativity, technical excellence, and purpose-driven innovation.It’s proof that today’s students aren’t just dreaming about the future—they’re building it.