How toy Star Wars droid works

If you’re lucky enough to own the hottest toy of the season, the Sphero BB-8 droid, you’re probably wondering how it works. Here’s how

Attaches

Head:

Inductive charging:

Electromagnetic

field transfers

energy to

battery

to sphere by

magnets

Drive

wheel

SIDE

VIEW

Charging station

Counterweight:

Helps hold

BB-8

Stability:

Unpowered

upper

wheels

drive

down

wheels

High-density

polycarbonate

shell:

thick, slightly

opaque,

waterproof

Circuit

board:

Includes

gyroscope

to aid

orientation

and flashing

LED lights

4mm

Bluetooth

antenna:

Connects to

smartphone. Large,

to give range of 30m

Drive

wheels

Induction charging coil

These power two

Two electric motors:

drive wheels

independently, allowing them to turn in different

directions and make BB-8 rotate

Smartphone app:

Control BB-8 using

iOS or Android smartphone app.

Drive him with one finger or let

him roam about autonomously

$149.95

Cost:

Top speed:

Battery charge:

Height:

7.2km/h (4.5 mph)

Over 1 hour

11.4cm

7.3cm

200g

Width:

Weight:

Sources: Sphero, Tested, uBreakiFix, Wired, starwars.com

How toy Star Wars

droid works

If you’re lucky enough to own the hottest toy of the season, the Sphero BB-8 droid, you’re probably wondering how it works. Here’s how

Attaches

Inductive charging:

Electromagnetic

field transfers

energy to

battery

Head:

to sphere by

magnets

Drive wheel

SIDE VIEW

Charging station

Counterweight:

Helps hold

BB-8

Stability:

Upper

wheels

(not

powered)

drive

wheels

down

High-

density

poly-

carbonate

shell:

4mm

thick,

slightly

opaque, waterproof

Circuit

board:

Includes

gyroscope

to aid

orientation

and

flashing

LED lights

Drive

wheels

Bluetooth antenna:

Connects to

smartphone. Large,

to give range of 30m

Induction

charging

coil

Two electric motors: These

power two

drive wheels

independently, allowing them

to turn in different directions

and make BB-8 rotate

$149.95

Cost:

Top speed:

Battery charge:

H:

7.2km/h (4.5 mph)

Over 1 hour

11.4cm

7.3cm

200g

W:

Weight:

Smartphone app:

Control BB-8 using iOS or Android

smartphone app. Drive him with one finger

or let him roam about autonomously

Sources: Sphero, Tested, uBreakiFix, Wired, starwars.com

How toy

Star Wars

droid works

If you’re lucky enough to own the hottest toy of the season, the Sphero BB-8 droid, you’re probably wondering how it works. Here’s how

Inductive charging:

Electromagnetic field

transfers energy to battery

Attaches

Head:

to sphere by

magnets

Drive

wheel

Counterweight:

Charging

station

Helps hold BB-8

drive

down

wheels

Stability:

Unpowered

upper wheels

High-density

polycarbonate

shell:

4mm thick,

slightly opaque,

waterproof

Drive

wheels

Induction

charging

coil

Bluetooth

antenna:

Connects to

smartphone.

Large, to give

range of 30m

Circuit

board:

Includes

gyroscope to aid

orientation and

flashing LED

lights

These power

Two electric motors:

two

independently,

drive wheels

allowing them to turn in different

directions and make BB-8 rotate

$149.95

Cost:

Top speed:

Battery charge:

Height:

Width:

Weight:

7.2km/h (4.5 mph)

Over 1 hour

11.4cm

7.3cm

200g

Control BB-8

Smartphone app:

using iOS or Android smartphone

app. Drive him with one finger or

let him roam about autonomously

Sources: Sphero, Tested, uBreakiFix, Wired,

starwars.com