Star Wars: The Force Awakens BB-8 droid toy is real, should be impossible

Toy creator Sphero has managed to recreate the loveable droid in tiny form, using magnets

The tiny, apparently impossible little droid from the Star Wars trailer has been recreated in a tiny toy.

The authentic reproduction of the BB-8 droid has been created by Sphero, in partnership with Disney. It allows owners to roll it around, go through pre-created routes and send messages.

BB-8 first rolled into view and Star Wars fans’ hearts on the first trailer for Episode VII. Its cute noises and strange look – a round sphere with a little bowl always balanced on top – immediately made him the star of the short video.

Sphero’s recreation of the character is much the same. The company already makes rolling balls, and managed to get the head permanently stuck on top using magnets.

The functions are largely similar, too. But the company has added a special message mode that adds the opportunity to “create, send and view virtual holographic videos” that are then projected onto the floor using augmented reality and a smartphone app.

Like the other Sphero balls, the BB-8 is controlled through a smartphone app. The company hopes that the app can become more than just a remote control, however, eventually building in different games and ways of controlling the ball.

In addition to the normal driving functions, the robot will respond to Star Wars-specific commands like shouting “it’s a trap”, whereupon it will panic and run away.

The toy is charged in a special Star Wars-themed induction charging cradle. It can connect through Bluetooth to iOS, Android and Windows devices.