• More More

Search

My Account Logout
  • other
  • instagram
  • twitter
  • facebook
  • youtube
  • other
  • NEWS + FEATURES
    • THE LATEST
    • AHSOKA
    • COMMUNITY
    • QUIZZES + POLLS
    • BOOKS + COMICS
    • RECIPES
  • VIDEO
    • ALL VIDEO
    • THIS WEEK! IN STAR WARS
  • FILMS
  • SERIES
  • INTERACTIVE
  • DATABANK
    • ALL DATABANK
    • ERAS
  • DISNEY+
    • STREAM NOW
    • EXPLORE
    • THE DISNEY BUNDLE
  • More More
My Account Logout
  • other
  • instagram
  • twitter
  • facebook
  • youtube
  • other

ALL OF YOUR STAR WARS FAVORITES NOW STREAMING ON DISNEY+

All

  • Ahsoka
  • Andor
  • Behind the Scenes
  • Books + Comics
  • Characters + Histories
  • Collecting
  • Creativity
  • Disney Parks
  • Disney+
  • Events
  • Fans + Community
  • Films
  • Force For Change
  • Forces of Destiny
  • Galaxy of Adventures
  • Games + Apps
  • ILMxLAB
  • In Pop Culture
  • Interviews
  • LEGO Star Wars
  • Lucasfilm
  • Merchandise
  • Obi-Wan Kenobi
  • Opinions
  • Quizzes + Polls
  • Recipes
  • Rogue One
  • Solo
  • Star Wars Celebration
  • Star Wars Day
  • Star Wars Rebels
  • Star Wars Resistance
  • Television
  • The Bad Batch
  • The Book of Boba Fett
  • The Clone Wars
  • The Force Awakens
  • The High Republic
  • The Last Jedi
  • The Mandalorian
  • The Rise of Skywalker
  • The Star Wars Show
  • Visions
{:title=>"The Force Awakens", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/the-force-awakens"} {:title=>"Interviews", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/interviews"}

How Sphero Created Their BB-8 Toy

September 10, 2015
September 10, 2015
Amy Ratcliffe

The secrets behind one of the hottest new Star Wars toys!

The world first met BB-8 last November in the first teaser for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The astromech droid rolled across the screen and into the hearts of many fans. Feelings for the rolling droid continued to grow when it made an appearance at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim -- well, it wasn't so much an appearance as it was a grand entrance. People were dazzled by the technology on display and charmed by the personality emanating from BB-8. Fans hoped merchandise for the upcoming film would include moving versions of the droid, and now that Force Friday has arrived, dreams about BB-8 toys have come true.

Sphero BB-8 toy in action

Sphero has created an app-enabled BB-8 toy that you can control with your smart device. BB-8 can also patrol on its own, respond to voice commands, and use augmented reality (AR) to transmit holographic videos. As Sphero's director of product Allen Richardson says, it's a toy like no other. "Our BB-8 is obviously a little bit different than a RC or typical toy. BB-8 can communicate with your smart device. It has a companion app that goes along with it so you will control him from your phone -- it's basically like a remote control, but so much more. You're going to be able to drive him around. You're going to be able to get feedback from him." As BB-8 patrols, he also gathers information about his surroundings that he later relays to you in a detailed report.

Sphero's existing technology was ideally suited for adapting the film version of BB-8 into a marketable toy. Their flagship product is a ball robot that they've had on the marketplace for about four years. The company went through an accelerated program with Disney recently and from there learned about the possibility of working on a BB-8 toy. Richardson says there were obviously different challenges they weren't used to when designing BB-8 -- like figuring out how to attach the head. The process took a little while. "It's really only been over the course of the last 10 months that we've been able to bring everything together," he says. "We have all hands on deck. It's been amazing. Everybody has been going full bore to get BB-8 out the door for Force Friday."

Sphero BB-8 toy in action

Creating any toy is about more than merely getting the specs and movements right. It's important to capture the character's personality. Droids in the Star Wars galaxy may be made of nuts and bolts, but they show spirit. Richardson says it was important for them to fully bring their BB-8 toy to life, and that they were able to do so with the help of Lucasfilm. Sphero saw the teasers for Star Wars: The Force Awakens and had access to some small bits of information not available to the public. They used what they had along with feedback they received from Lucasfilm and Disney to move forward. Richardson emphasizes Sphero wouldn't have made it as far as they did without that back and forth communication and relationship.

"We've been able to to create a system of programming -- the physical animation of BB-8 very easily," Richardson explains. "So, in the background, we can puppeteer digitally what we want it to do physically. We've also been able to go through and create how he might say yes or how he might say no. Those animations coupled with the sounds we've received from Lucasfilm help build that story and build that personality. Again, we are taking our lead from what Lucasfilm tells and what Disney has told us. Because we haven't seen the film, we have to take their word for it [on whether BB-8 is an accurate representation] -- they're closer to it than we are and we've built the personality as best as we can based on what they're telling us."

Sphero BB-8 toy in action

Sphero's BB-8 toy has multiple bells and whistles, but what Richardson is most excited for fans to discover comes down to the basics. "It sounds simple, but when they see it move for the first time, it's magic. We had early prototypes where we just had a white ball with a white head. It moved, and it was cool. And you think, 'We can actually do this. It's going to be great.' But when you see a sample with the BB-8 paint scheme and it's moving, it does something to your brain. I was blown away the first time I saw it move. Just the pure joy of seeing it move and driving it around is just amazing."

  • Sphero BB-8 toy - charging

    of

    of
  • Sphero BB-8 toy

    of

    of
  • Sphero BB-8 toy - box

    of

    of
  • Sphero BB-8 toy - cell phone controlled

    of

    of
  • Sphero BB-8 toy

    of

    of
  • Amy Ratcliffe is a writer obsessed with Star Wars, Disney, and coffee. Follow her on Twitter at @amy_geek and keep up with all things geeky at her blog.

    Star Wars: The Force Awakens BB-8

    Related Stories

  • {:title=>"Books + Comics", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/books-+-comics"} {:title=>"Interviews", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/interviews"}

    Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures Comes to an End - Exclusive Preview

    June 26, 2023

    June 26, 2023

    Jun 26

  • {:title=>"Fans + Community", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/fans-+-community"} {:title=>"Interviews", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/interviews"}

    StarWars.com Fan Spotlight: Keith Yarde Is a Star Wars Fan Like His Father, Kerwin, Before Him

    June 15, 2023

    June 15, 2023

    Jun 15

  • {:title=>"Books + Comics", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/books-+-comics"} {:title=>"Interviews", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/interviews"}

    D-Squad Is Back! R2-D2’s All-Star Team Returns in New Marvel Miniseries

    June 1, 2023

    June 1, 2023

    Jun 1

  • {:title=>"Lucasfilm", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/lucasfilm"} {:title=>"Interviews", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/interviews"}

    Jedi at 40 | Into the Rancor Pit with Dennis Muren and Phil Tippett

    May 25, 2023

    May 25, 2023

    May 25

  • {:title=>"Visions", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/visions"} {:title=>"Disney+", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/disney+"}

    Meet the Visionaries: Magdalena Osinska on the Personal Story of “I Am Your Mother”

    May 19, 2023

    May 19, 2023

    May 19

  • {:title=>"Disney+", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/disney+"} {:title=>"Interviews", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/interviews"}

    How Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures Tells Tales for Younglings of All Ages

    May 4, 2023

    May 4, 2023

    May 4

  • {:title=>"Visions", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/visions"} {:title=>"Disney+", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/disney+"}

    With Star Wars: Visions Volume 2, Creators from Around the World Visit the Galaxy Far, Far Away

    May 4, 2023

    May 4, 2023

    May 4

  • {:title=>"LEGO Star Wars", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/lego-star-wars"} {:title=>"Collecting", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/collecting"}

    SWCE 2023: Inside the LEGO Group's New Star Wars: Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary Dioramas

    April 6, 2023

    April 6, 2023

    Apr 6

  • More From Star Wars:
    • TikTok
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • Youtube
    • SWKids
    • Terms of Use
    • Additional Content Information
    • Privacy Policy
    • Children's Online Privacy Policy
    • Your US State Privacy Rights
    • Star Wars at shopDisney
    • Star Wars Helpdesk
    • Interest-Based Ads
    • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved