The app-controlled BB-8 is well on its way to becoming one of the biggest toys of the holiday season, but aside from wondering how our pets will react to it, many people have one big question on their minds: how does it work?
With the price tag of BB-8 set at $150 (or more, if you’re buying from secondhand sellers), most people are understandably hesitant to crack open the lovable little droid to see what makes it tick. But uBreakiFix decided to fall on that sword and perform the seemingly cruel task of cutting BB-8 open to see what was going on inside. Thanks to their service, the rest of us don’t have to sacrifice our beloved droids.
The gyroscope and two wheels located within the droid allow it to stay upright, while a magnet attached to the droid’s stem makes it possible for BB-8’s head to stay on top at all times.
According to Sphero chief scientist Adam Wilson, there will eventually be a version of BB-8 that won’t require the mechanical nerds among us to destroy our toys to see how it works.
“It’s very tricky because you can’t see the mechanism inside,” Wilson told Polygon. “We have clear ones for development. It’s a complicated physical system for sure.”
H/T Uproxx | Screengrab via uBreakiFix/YouTube