Long ago in a galaxy far, far away….
Halloween is nearly here, The Force Awakens® is in the not too distant future – who doesn’t want a BB-8 to help celebrate?
If you’d like to make your own, working BB-8®, Make: Technology On Your Time has all the info you need! Author Christian Poulsen, said “As I watched it [BB-8] roll around [at the Star Wars® Celebration], my only thought was, ‘Need!’ So, I made one.”
Issue 46 of Make provides 3 different approaches to building your own BB-8. The 1st is a DIY by Poulsen. The 2nd is by Kurt Zimmerman who shares the ups and downs of his BB-8 project, and the 3rd is written by Casey Kuhns and explores the way in which a team of engineers and artists created a BB-8 that looks and sounds like the real thing. The 3rd BB-8 design is all open source.
Poulsen estimates it will take one day to complete and cost somewhere between $150 and $200. Beginning with working with a Sphero toy, embedding the magnet, painting, and adding the magnets and felt, Poulsen walks you the process step-by-step. Each of the steps is accompanied by full-color photographs.
And if you really want to go all out with your Star Wars® costuming, MORE Electronic Gadgets for the Evil Genius has step-by-step instructions for making your own light saber!
Have fun making your own BB-8 and have a fun and safe Halloween!
Star Wars® BB-8 Droid made from a Sphero & Magnets
Resources:
Poulsen, Christian. 2015: Aug/Sept. Building Your Own BB-8. Make: Technology On Your Time. 2015; pg. 58- 61
Make This Mini Star Wars BB-8 Ball Droid with a Hacked Sphero. 2015. Maker Media.
Iannini, Robert E. 2006. MORE electronic gadgets for the evil genius. New York : McGraw-Hill. Engineering Library TK9965 .I253 2006.
Other Resources:
Sphero. 2015. Sphero.
This is the Droid You’re Looking For. Sphero. Date accessed October 22, 2015.
Progress Report: Secretive Club Designing, 3D Printing a Full-Size BB-8. Oct. 23, 2015. Maker Media.
Halloween costumes. Makezine.com