Star Wars' BB-8, the new member of the Sphero family, is not only the "coolest toy" on the block. It is also a little droid that really moves and beeps and was developed to capture the hearts of Star Wars fanatics.
The BB-8, as Tech Times earlier reported, is part of the new lineup of tie-in toys for the soon-to-be-released Star Wars film. The BB-8 bot in the film that interacts with the actors was developed by Sphero, the same company that designed the device.
"They never cease to amaze me with what they're able to come up with, you know? I said, 'How are you ever gonna top R2-D2, the most adorable droid in movie history?' And then they have this new one. I can't even tell you his name, but you saw it in the trailer," said Star Wars' Mark Hamill. "And when they were demonstrating how they did this thing, live on set—because it's not CGI, that's a live prop—I was just amazed."
The little droid is known for its ball-shaped body and dome-shaped head floating atop it.
How does Sphero's miniature replica of the fan-favorite character in the film really work? How does the little bot manage to keep its head on?
One report noted the spherical device touts a gyroscope as well as a series of wheels that move inside the droid. This explains, according to a post, how the bottom half of the toy works and, specifically, how the device changes directions with ease.
As for the head staying perched atop the droid's body, the device is rumored to have a series of powerful magnets. Some online posts say it purportedly has a remote control, allowing the head to be controlled separately. Others say it has a sizable counterweight, keeping everything balanced inside the plastic case.
How about the robot's capability to know which way is up? A theory points out the bot has its own gyroscope in its head.
On the other hand, another theory says the head of the BB-8 is empty, negating earlier speculations that it has magnets and some LEDs. This, according to the theory, makes the head of the bot lightweight.
This smartphone-powered device is reportedly priced at $150. Robot collectors should watch this teardown video below:
