Adorable spinning droid from ‘Star Wars’ trailer will be mass produced by Disney

Since the trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens premiered, the adorable spinning bot BB-8 has taken the Star Wars fandom by storm. Fans were excited to learn that the newest droid was not in fact a product of CGI, but an actual prop, when he made his first appearance at a Star Wars celebration earlier this month.

Sphero, a Boulder, Colorado based tech company that specializes in app controlled spherical toys, announced that it was the company that created the technology behind BB-8. In partnership with Disney, they plan to release a toy version to the public.

The BB-8 toys, to be sold in Disney stores and select retailers, will be around the size of an apple and controlled by phone applications. In addition to the toys sold in stores, The New York Times reported that larger versions of the droid, similar to the one that was shown at the Star Wars convention, will make appearances in Disney Parks.

“What an incredible honor it is to work with the team at Disney on one of the most interesting new characters in the Star Wars franchise,” Paul Berberian, Sphero’s CEO, told Engadget. “Our hardware and software technology advancements make it possible to build the toys of the future now. We are deepening the user connection in ways that, until today, have only been portrayed in science fiction.”

No information on when you can get your hands on your very own BB-8 has been released. You can sign up for updates on the project on Sphero’s website.

 

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