TVPredictions.com reports:

Continuing its out-of-this-world theme, on Wednesday, May 18 from 8 pm to 11 pm, Discovery HD Theater will present THE SCIENCE OF STAR WARS, a special that reveals various types of "Star Wars-like" equipment in use today - or at least in development stages. Premiering on the Discovery Channel May 16-18, and hosted by none other Anthony Daniels as C-3PO and himself (with help from R2-D2), the HD version of SCIENCE OF STAR WARS will explore the real scientific underpinnings of the STAR WARS franchise.

THE SCIENCE OF STAR WARS premieres on May 18 at 8 pm (ET), offering high definition viewers yet another look at the extraordinary world of outer space. Three hour-long episodes of THE SCIENCE OF STAR WARS will be packaged on Discovery HD Theater as "HD from a Galaxy Far, Far Away." Episode one, "Man and Machine," takes a close look at how robots are currently used to clean the house, walk the dog, and identify life in the rubble caused by an earthquake. It examines how droids will soon replace astronauts on dangerous spacewalks and act as flying R2-D2's to people living in space. And the future of artificial intelligence makes Darth Vader possible as scientists give prosthetics a mind of their own.

"Space Cowboys" is the title of THE SCIENCE OF STAR WARS episode two, which looks at high tech methods of mobility and communication. The show theorizes that in the near future hovercraft may be commonplace vehicles. Various other vehicles are still in prototype stages, but H2O cars and HyWire cars (hydrogen and by wire) are here today and equipped with technology able to "sense" traffic patterns or danger ahead. This episode poses the question of how tomorrow's hot rods might look.

The final episode of THE SCIENCE OF STAR WARS, "War, Weaponry and The Force" examines how "Star Wars" technology is changing the military. Not quite a clone army yet, but the Future Force Warrior (FFW-Army) and the Berkely Lower Extremity Exoskeleton (BLEEX) are equipping fighters with Storm Trooper-like gear. Laser Blasters being tested by the US military are a directed energy weapon that uses a laser beam to send an electric charge to the target. The Close Quarters Shock Rifle projects an ionized gas or plasma toward the target, and it can neutralize a whole group of attackers, and kill their electronic ignition getaway systems at the same time. This episode also explores the culture of China's Shaolin monks, martial arts experts whose philosophy of harmony with nature has led some to call them "real life Jedi Knights."

The show airs in the UK on May 22nd.