Robotics company Sphero skyrocketed to popularity in 2015 with the release of BB-8, a miniature iPhone-controlled toy droid modeled after the BB-8 character in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
As the release of the The Last Jedi approaches this December, Sphero has introduced two new Star Wars-themed robotic toys, BB-9E and R2-D2.
R2-D2 is a well-known classic droid that`s starred in Star Wars movies since the original trilogy in the 1970s, while BB-9E, an Astromech droid that serves in the First Order (aka evil BB-8), is a newcomer that will appear in The Last Jedi.
Like BB-8, both of Sphero`s new droids are exquisitely accurate in design compared to the movie versions, and they come to life when paired with the Sphero app.
Design
BB-9E shares a design with BB-8, and BB-8 was based on Sphero`s original robotic ball technology. BB-9E`s body is a plastic sphere that houses a motor, a gyroscope that keeps BB-9E upright, counterweights for balance, internal wheels, magnets, and other electronic components.
BB-9E`s head attaches to the ball-shaped body using magnets, and a set of wheels underneath the head to allow it to move in around in stay in place on the body while BB-9E is in motion. Instead of a round head like BB-8, BB-9E has a flatter head that fits in better with the First Order aesthetic.
Size wise, BB-9E fits in the palm of a hand, and if you own BB-8, BB-9E is the same size. In contrast to BB-8`s white and orange design, BB-9E is black with gray accents and red and blue lights (on the head) when in operation. BB-9E is made from a durable plastic that holds up to rough use -- even when the droid is slammed into walls or other obstacles, it comes away unscathed.
R2-D2 is a different kind of robot than BB-9E and BB-8, and so Sphero`s come up with a new design that doesn`t use underlying robotic ball technology. Instead, R2-D2 features two legs with tank-like treads for movement and a thir ...
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