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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Bealman on December 14, 2015, 11:03:42 AM

Title: Little robot toy
Post by: Bealman on December 14, 2015, 11:03:42 AM
Dunno exactly what's happening in the rest of the world, but that new Star Wars thingy opens here in my hometown at 12.01am on Thursday morning. I'll wait til it comes out on DVD and then I'll ignore it.

However, from what I see on YouTube,  there's some little robot running around in it which is basically  a ball with a head. I believe it goes by the name of Sphero (sigh). I hate this movie already.

Anyway, the point of this post is that when I was in town today, a department store was selling a palm sized model of the thing which can be controlled by an Android phone, as well as doing all sorts of other stuff.

I can't figure out how it works!!! Here's this ball rolling around on the table while the head stays on top all the time!

Does anyone know what I'm talking about here? 'Cos I'd love to know how it works!

It's orange and white, if that helps  :D
Title: Re: Little robot toy
Post by: Ditape on December 14, 2015, 11:13:18 AM
If you go to bbc iplayer and watch this weeks click it shows how someone has made a working model of this robot thingy so I would imagine the toy you saw works in a similar way.

Title: Re: Little robot toy
Post by: Sprintex on December 14, 2015, 01:16:24 PM
Not sure BBC iplayer is available in Australia is it? :hmmm:


Paul
Title: Re: Little robot toy
Post by: Malc on December 14, 2015, 01:35:11 PM
I suspect that the electronics will be in the head and there will be a gyro to keep the head on top and a couple of wheels to drive the ball round. Pretty impressive though.
Title: Re: Little robot toy
Post by: scotsoft on December 14, 2015, 04:08:33 PM
When I saw that little droid, I wanted one, I just love gadgets like this  :heart2:

Cheers John.
Title: Re: Little robot toy
Post by: bridgiesimon on December 14, 2015, 05:01:34 PM
The droid is called BB8 and is already a star in its own right!! The radio controlled one that has been released is operated via an app from your phone/ipad etc and looks AWESOME!!!

I am in the group of people feeling like I am 7 again - very excited!!!

best wishes and Merry Christmas

Simon
Title: Re: Little robot toy
Post by: Adam1701D on December 14, 2015, 05:22:57 PM
Already got my tickets booked for Thursday...

47 years old and feeling 8 again!  :D
Title: Re: Little robot toy
Post by: Bealman on December 14, 2015, 08:17:26 PM
Quote from: Sprintex on December 14, 2015, 01:16:24 PM
Not sure BBC iplayer is available in Australia is it? :hmmm:


Paul
No

George  :beers:
Title: Re: Little robot toy
Post by: cjdodd on December 14, 2015, 09:09:36 PM
I think you mean a BB-8

You can buy one here

http://www.iwantoneofthose.com/gift-tech-stuff/bb-8tm-app-enabled-droidtm-by-sphero/11143044.html (http://www.iwantoneofthose.com/gift-tech-stuff/bb-8tm-app-enabled-droidtm-by-sphero/11143044.html)
Title: Re: Little robot toy
Post by: Bealman on December 14, 2015, 09:24:03 PM
Yep, that's the one.... a ball with a head.
Title: Re: Little robot toy
Post by: Railwaygun on December 15, 2015, 12:57:23 AM
The Bluebird-8 toy mechanism is explained here

http://www.polygon.com/2015/9/7/9272595/how-bb8-works (http://www.polygon.com/2015/9/7/9272595/how-bb8-works)

And the "real" thing is here

http://www.howbb8works.com (http://www.howbb8works.com)
Title: Re: Little robot toy
Post by: Bealman on December 15, 2015, 02:09:27 AM
Thanks for that, not that I'm really much wiser. I really enjoyed the original three stars wars movies, but the later ones did not do a lot for me, hence my disinterest in the new one.

The toy looks pretty cool, though.
Title: Re: Little robot toy
Post by: d-a-n on December 16, 2015, 06:23:04 PM
Quote from: Bealman on December 14, 2015, 11:03:42 AM
I hate this movie already.

Quote from: Obi Wan KenobiDon't give in to hate. That leads to the Dark Side.
Title: Re: Little robot toy
Post by: Bealman on December 16, 2015, 08:34:01 PM
 :laughabovepost:
Title: Re: Little robot toy
Post by: Zogbert Splod on December 17, 2015, 02:00:57 AM
Ain't nothin' wrong with the dark side, we have tea and biscuits! 8)
Title: Re: Little robot toy
Post by: Firefox on December 17, 2015, 03:10:50 AM
I don't mind these films but the annoying part is you get the merchandise rammed down your throat for six months after, with wall to wall grossly overpriced tat. There was one this year, was it minions(?), and the shelves filled up with yellow men with one eye formed into all kinds of bottles or other purchases, the only difference being they were three times the price of normal un-merchandised items. Sad fact is, there seem to enough people conned into buying this garbage that they just keep on pouring forth and filling up more and  more shelf space  :laugh: