Fans Make An Online 3-D Model Explaining How BB-8 Works.
BB-8, the “soccer ball droid” seen in both teaser trailers for Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, shocked many when it was revealed that he wasn’t a computer-generated creation, but a remote-controlled practical effect. Many have wondered how this technology works – and now, two fans have created a short essay (complete with visuals) explaining what goes into the little droid.
From the website, bluntly named “How BB-8 Works”:
So, how does BB-8 work? What kind of black magic powers it? Well, what we know for sure is that it’s not driven by a hamster as some theories suggest. The closest thing out there is the Sphero ball, and turns out that Sphero was one out ten start-ups funded by Disney’s first accelerator program in 2014. Disney CEO Bob Iger himself was Sphero’s mentor inside the company. When he learnt about the filmmakers trying to build a rolling droid, he knew the right people for the job.
BB-8 and the Sphero are likely to share a very similar internal mechanism. As a matter of fact, some DIYers have alredy customized their Sphero balls to make them look like BB-8. The RC robotic ball uses a gyroscope to determine which way is down and two wheels to move the sphere from inside. The base plate (batteries included) serves as a counterweight to keep the wheels acting against the lower half of the sphere. There’s also a vertical bearing that helps to keep the wheels in contact with the walls.
But what about the floating head? Because that’s actually the jaw-dropping part. Here’s where all the pieces come together. There is a patent by Disney’s Imagineering R&D group that sheds some light on the head mechanism. Surprisingly, the patent was filed in 2010, two years before Disney acquired Lucasfilm and four years before they invested in Sphero. Looks like they were into rolling droids before anyone suspected.
Going to the above link will let you learn a lot more about the technology behind the little guy, along with a well-informed theory about how the droid works from the inside. The best part about it is that it features an interactive animation that shows the exterior and interior of BB-8, which you can move around in 360 degrees across the x, y, and z axes!
I would highly recommend that anyone interested in going behind-the-scenes of any Star Wars movie take a look at the site, and I can’t wait to see more footage of this droid in action. Also worth noting is that these guys sent us an e-mail saying that our article that we wrote about the patent for this technology inspired them to work on their own explanation, so kudos to my fellow SW7N staff TIDMADT and Voxx for (respectively) making the find and writing the article on it!
Grant has been a fan of Star Wars for as long as he can remember, having seen every movie on the big screen. When he’s not hard at work with his college studies, he keeps himself busy by reporting on all kinds of Star Wars news for SWNN and general movie news on the sister site, Movie News Net. He served as a frequent commentator on SWNN’s The Resistance Broadcast.
Great
slow day for episode vii news, eh?
Job…interesting story.
You know there is
An edit button
Am I the only one who think this thing looks terrible? I mean really rubbish.
i think its sorta cool, but what is its purpose? What is it actually designed for in the SW universe? (R2 is a mechanic, 3PO an interpreter ect.)
An R2 unit struggles on sand (in real life) and infact R2D2 was a swine to control in all the movies, also Kenny Baker had to sit inside it for many scenes.
BB8, solves all these issues. And one could also assume he/she/it was built for sand mobility, whereas AstroMechs were designed for space and spaceships.
you ARE yes
I’d like to see it go up stairs. I always found it funny seeing R2 go up stairs in AOTC. He’s got rockets in his legs and yet he chooses the hard way.
Clearly R2 has seen what happens to Team Rocket so many times, and didn’t ant to blast off itself
I dont remember R2 walking stairs s in AOTC. Please spare me the agony of actually watching it again, what scene was it?
Theres also that really awkward shot of R2 on stairs in ANH right before the group comes around the corner and sees the Falcon for the first time. If youlooktothe lef, you can see R2 coming down the staircase. He’s moving all weird and shit. It looks like R2 is getting ready to fall down the stairs.
R2 goes with Anakin and Padme to Naboo and when they get there, he goes up some stairs while Anakin and Padme seemingly try to ditch the poor guy
Oh yeah, thats right, forgot about that scene. They were ditching him so they could be alone 😉
Thats when Luke and Leia were conceived.
Happy B-Day A New Hope!!!
Hard to believe its been 38 years!!!
I wish you could have spared me the agony of having me read your comments.
I’ve always loved that scene in ANH when he almost falls downstairs. It’s hilarious!
Yeah, I’m pretty sure I saw some image of an X-Wing with BB-8’s head sticking out the back.
I’m guessing the company that produces R2 units gained a competitor in the past 30 years, with a new company selling smaller more compact [and perhaps less intelligent?] droids, with a mobility ball design as it’s main selling point?
I’m hoping they give R2 and BB-8 a big-brother – little-brother dynamic.
C3PO always had to put up with R2’s shenanigans.
Now it’s R2-D2’s turn to be the responsible one.
If that’s where they’re going, then it’s actually quite a brilliant way of keeping the droid scenes fresh.
I think BB-8 was a good move.
BB-8 is the new generation astromech droid, he is in the back of the new X-wings 🙂
Kick it into a net and yell, “Goooaaaallll!!!!!”
Lol I just realized your name said R2D2 hahahaaa
I’m a normal droid, I don’t like change.
You would never get a lightsaber in that.
I’ll take R2-D2 over soccer ball droid any day. R2 can do much more than roll good on sand. He can extinguish flames, cause a smokescreen, operate a sophisticated computer terminal, open locked large bay doors, fix the hyperdrive on the Millennium Falcon, watch over a camp, send a message to an old man, hold data tapes to a secret weapon, turn up the thermostat in Leia’s room on Hoth, fix a broken stabilizer on an X-wing, shut down all the mashers on the detention level and many more things. He’s way more of a useful droid. Love you Artoo.
I’ll also take science fiction over real science in the SW saga. This is Star Wars, not Star Trek.
well we can’t really compare the competence of BB-8 and R2D2 as all we’ve seen of the new droid is it roll over sand. I would hazard a guess that it can do a lot more than just roll and beep
The BB-8 would logically have to stop in order to actually do anything (I mean, if he used any robot arms or something they’d have to come out from his body, the football, right? Then if he moved while doing things the arms would flip around too much to do anything and probably be crushed under it) while R2 can move while doing things, so R2 have better multitasking potential, and since R2 can use his rocket boots (or however it’s called in english) it also have better mobility compaired to BB-8, for example if they have to get across a broken bridge or something. Then BB-8 couldn’t do it while R2 could.
So I’d put my money on the old model any day of the week, rather than the new football robot BB-8. Sure, BB-8 might be more advanced in other areas, but it still loose too much in the previously mentioned areas for me to think it’d be worth it.. Hope that the BB-8 won’t be in the movies all that much..
Sorry for my bad english, it’s not my native language….
Yes, I think you are…
They had it in the x-wing so looks like primary work is to help the pilot….
the astromechs evolved but the xwings stayed the same? how the heck does that work?
How much have jeeps evolved in 30 years in comparison with cell phones?
The X-Wings did not stay the same. Take a good at them.
I think its awesome myself but didn’t we already know this?
On set video leak. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=e62_1432049304
Have you been under a rock?
I remember the first time I saw him I thought… well he’s certainly full of charm. It screamed Pixar character or something. I wont lie… there was a hint of fear that maybe it designed a little to much around appeal. Plus I thought he was CG.
Then… the more you got use to him the cooler he actually was. Mark Hamill saying he was real intrigued me. Then seeing him roll out on stage? Get outta here… instantly destroyed my doubts about him. They cemented it in the 2nd trailer with the way he move/reacted.
This is a very long explanation for me basically saying I love em!
long and nonsensical is your comment. Hopefully episode VII will be nothing like your comment.
Metroid / Samus
Thing is, Ralph McQuarrie originally envisioned R2 looking like this back in 74-75, but it was technically impossible….heres an interview from Star Wars Insider
http://s1373.photobucket.com/user/jaitea1/media/Insider_zps98ab1190.jpg.html
I was wondering when the name Ralph McQuarrie was going to get plastered all over this message board. Why don’t you bow down to the man while you’re at it?
Hey Jaitea, I’m the creator of howbb8works.com. I didn’t know Ralph McQuarrie originally envisioned R2 as a rolling droid. That’s pretty cool. We might add that piece of information to the site. Thanks for sharing.
Yep, more info here:
http://www.starwarsnewsnet.com/2014/11/the-force-awakens-re-introdcuing-the-beach-ball-droid.html
Thank you guys, I just updated the site with that information.
The original design had more of a cup over a ball feel to it with a half sphere head, a lot better than this silly droid.
Beep.
Could it be that BB-8 has some sort of advanced data processing ability, which he puts to use to solve the “puzzle” with R2 and C3PO? I can see a scenario in which the contentious relationship between R2 and BB8 that JJ hinted about at the unveiled might have something to do with BB-8 being an newer and more advanced model, making R2 feel outmoded. Or maybe even R2 is too old to be compatible with contemporary X-wings used by the Resistance. Just a thought.
Oh! they have it all wrong with the inner workings of BB-8.. its really a little er person than Kenny Baker….. doing the rollie polelies, their insight is appreciated though! just saying
no! no Toddy you’re wrong!
It’s a calico cat and you know it!
It could also be a Gingham Dog.
Would be interesting if bb8 was ejecting on a xwing float near it, maybe sabotaging an enemy fighter or making advanced repairs
hamster ball.
Kenny was offered the part, in a round about sort of way only, he was turned down due a fragile shaking n wobbling audition lol
Why do some people feel the need to expose magic. Just let it be and enjoy it. Gee wiz
you are overlooking one key aspect:
i am an [over-analytical] asshole.
Pretty cool and a really cool visual rendering and explanation of it. Impressive! Most impressive!
#SupportR2D2
Apparently the ‘inventors’ are still withholding the exact tech they devised for the droid.
“There were a lot of discussions about how having a CG BB-8 would be so much easier, but we also knew it would be better for the film, for the actors, for the sets, for the look of it, if it were performed”
If this philosophy is true, then it should apply to anything. Whether building an android…or a spaceship.
yeah, but that’s hard to do.
I’m sure Stanley Kubrick would have JUMPED on the idea of filming 2001′ on an actual space ship in space – if it was available / possible – yeah, he would have done that in a heartbeat.
So, yeah, you’re sarcastic accusation is not sarcastic at all, and is in fact true.
Deal with it.
That’s the point.
From the comments I have been reading BB8 is shaping up to be a real star in the franchise, such enthusiasm never reached such heights with the prequels except perhaps Darth Maul, I thinkbthis movie is going to be the business.
Anakin played with balls too. What’s wrong with that? Goal
Can we get some more news please lol this is old
I don’t think BB-8 will be the only droid of his type in the film. He seems to be a new take on the astromech design, so I’m guessing several Resistance pilots will be using one similar. I mean, R2 is the man, and Luke will obviously still be using him, but I don’t think the youngsters, most of which having been born after the Battle of Endor will be using 60 yr-old models. R2’s, R3’s, R4’s, R6’s etc. have come and gone and BB-8 is the future, much like Finn and Rey. I think R2 will have a passing of the torch moment much like the Big 3 as the trilogy progresses.
“Blah blah blah emotion”
“Blah blah blah no CGI”
“Blah Blah Blah in the right hands” …