Star Wars VII Soccer Ball Droid

[kessa]

I wonder if it's using similar (although not necessarily the same) tech to a Segway as the head seems to pull forwards first before it moves forwards, and pulls back before it stops.
It could just be that's how they've done it because it would look the most natural for a robot like that to move, but I thought I'd throw it out there as a theory anyway.

 

[AnubisGuard]

How the €#^% is his head staying attached?

 

[Anakin Starkiller]

I'm gonna go with Magnets

 

[Capn_Jack_Savvy]

The Force!

 

[Soulinertia]

 

[Darth Lars]

The head must be a separate robot balancing on the ball. It must be pulling ahead of the ball's movement as a way to counter it falling off.

 

[awood12345]

The only way I can think it is done is the head must be ball raced so it can move any direction over the ball, the ball must be controlled by a rc car inside (or a weight shift device) and the head has a couple of magnets that are attracted to a servo operated magnet inside.

 

[kessa]

Pretty much what I was thinking (although the head and body seem to be able to spin independently).

The head I can understand if it had an inner "rc car" (for want of a better description... although it would need to be one that rotates on the spot), but I can't figure out how that then works for spinning the base on the spot.

It's very cool

 

[awood12345]

I'm not sure of the details but it can only be weight shift for that too as far as I can see. Very clever.

 

[AnubisGuard]

If they had a flywheel or gyroscope inside the sphere, that would provide inertial resistance and allow them to swivel the ball around it.

 

[MastahBlastah]

All of you guys should go back a few pages and read a bit of this thread to see the theories people have been working out for months now ... what an epic day to finally see him moving around, 100% practical, on stage! I imagine he'll be getting up to faster speeds across more open terrain on film.

 

[wolfhoundjack]

It's amazing. So is it a "hamster" robot with a vertical arm (with magnet) going up for stability and it's inside the big sphere (what 18" sphere / 24/25" total height?) or is it a ballbot balancing on top of a ball?

 

[Mara Jade's Father]

Does anyone know if the BB-8 in the first trailer is practical, CGI. or a little of both? It is amazing piece of technology but I have a hard time believing the head can really bounce around like it did in the first trailer or even move that fast.

 

[Abelugo]

This Droid got me thinking, it may still be RC'd from back stage, who's to say the eye on the top head part is not an actual camera, WiDi'ing an image to the driver?

Afterall this all a big ploy to get us to go see the movie? Of course they would get us amazed to see it.

Either way it can be faked out like that. Why wouldn't the R2 unit also be autonomous at that point as well?

Here is rough sketch of how it may work, it may not be a balancing segway style inside, but see attached.

 

[Edwardowan]

for that high speed scene it could be a little bit of CGI as I believe the head can be lifted off... my guess is it is seperately RC'd from the main ball body. the puppeteer has to RC both parts. the head is rolling on balls and There are probably some very strong magnet limiters for the head not to roll off the body.

Does anyone know if the BB-8 in the first trailer is practical, CGI. or a little of both? It is amazing piece of technology but I have a hard time believing the head can really bounce around like it did in the first trailer or even move that fast.

 

[AndyJ]

Totally incredible...I love when movie magic turns into actual magic.

 

[Soulinertia]

The movement of the head seems completely independent of the ball:

 

[joshvanrad]

This is legitimately one of the most impressive practical props I've ever seen. Maybe even THE most impressive.

 

[zorg]

thissss

 

[Edwardowan]

The movement of the head seems completely independent of the ball:

http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/4-16-2015/U4BwHK.gif

it is. the head is remote controlled on the main ball portion. most likely there are magnets in a circumference that limit the range so the head doesn't roll off. word on the street is all tech info will be revealed after the film is released.