The App-enabled Droid

BB-8 is more than a toy, it’s your companion

A Droid™ from connected-play specialist Sphero has captured people’s imaginations by using high-tech features to enable good old-fashioned fun. BB-8™ is a small robot that is controlled with a smartphone or tablet application. Its appeal is not only in the wide range of sensors and processors that allow the device to function, it is in the way they appear to bring BB-8 to life.

The Colorado-based firm’s website states “BB-8 is more than a toy, it’s your companion.” It is spherical and slightly smaller than a baseball and has a head that is attached to the main body. Its movements develop through interaction with the user: BB-8 has a range of expressions that evolve over time and it responds to certain voice commands.

It’s is more than a toy, it’s your companion
John Doe, Sphero CEO

 

Featured Technology

BB-8 connects to smart devices via Bluetooth low energy and users can control the device through their smartphone or tablet application or they can instruct the toy to explore its surroundings autonomously. Its clever features are powered by a STM32 F3 series SoC that features the Arm Cortex-M4 processor.

BB-8 rolls around, reaching a top speed of 4.5 mph during its missions. The robot comes with its own wireless induction charging cradle with a battery that provides one hour of play and a recharge time of three hours. If people feel they’ve glimpsed the future of play when they use this device they won’t be mistaken. The application uses augmented reality to transform recorded video messages into virtual holograms.

The Droid you're looking for, the power of the Force
BB-8 Features
  • Authentic Movement // Guide your BB-8 with a smartphone or tablet
  • Listens & Responds // BB-8 recognizes and reacts to voice
  • Holographic Communication // Record and view virtual holographic videos with BB-8
  • Autonomous Behavior // BB-8 has a mind of its own - explore the Star Wars™ galaxy together
  • Adaptive Personality // Your BB-8’s unique attitude and actions evolve as you interact

Vendor

Sphero

Sphero fuses robotic and digital technology into immersive entertainment experiences that ignite imagination and defy expectation.

Partner

STMicroelectronics 

STMicroelectronics semiconductor solutions continue to transform the enterprise, cloud, automotive, industrial, and consumer markets.

Arm Technology

Cortex-M3

For all applications where a balance between 32-bit performance and energy efficiency is desirable