DIY Star Wars Life-Size Phone Controlled BB8 Droid

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For all the Star Wars lovers, especially those that liked the Episode VII, a must DIY project from DFRobot blog: the home made BB8 Droid!

Today, I’m going to teach you how to build a working, life-sized, phone-controlled Starwars BB-8 droid! In this tutorial, we are only going to use household materials and a little Arduino circuitry.

Due to the limitation of materials, I resorted in using the materials around me. (deodorant roll-ons as ball bearings, canvas as fiberglass, Christmas balls as the eye & etc.. ). A lot of people could relate to this. My approach on building the project doesn’t require 3D printers, CNCs or Milling Machines!

Materials:

Robotics & Electronics:

– Arduino Uno

– Pololu Dual VNH5019 Motor Shield

– 2x Pololu (19:1) 37D Metal Gearbox

– HC05 Bluetooth Module

– 4 Cell Lithium Battery Pack (2x)

– Switch, DC Jack, Wires, Solder

BB8’s Body:

– Inflatable Beach Ball (Diameter: 50cm)

– Old Newspaper

– Plain Canvas Cloth

– 2 Bottles of PVA Glue (a.k.a Elmer’s Glue)

– 1 Bottle of Woodglue

– White, Grey and Orange (Tangerine) Spray Paint

– Roll-on Deodorants

BB8’s Head:

– Styrofoam Ball (Diameter: 300mm/ 12 inches)

– Christmas Ball (Size of BB8’s Eye)

– WiFi Antenna (Prop Only)

– Cloths Hanger

– Roll-on Deodorants

– White, Grey and Orange (Tangerine) Spray Paint

MISC:

– Superglue

– Neodymium Magnets

On the blog website you can find all the guides and pictures to make the body, the head, every special details and the electronic part.

The phone app sends characters via Bluetooth every time you press a button. The Bluetooth module receives the data while the Arduino interprets and processes these data. The Arduino sends signals to the Motor Driver shield to give a go signal for the switching of the motors.

Steps:

1st.) Mount the Arduino to the platform

2nd.) Stack the Motor Driver Shield

3rd.) Connect the left motor’s wires to M1A & M1B

4th.) Connect the right motor’s wires to M2A & M2B

5th.) Mount The Lithium-Ion Batteries

Source: DIY Life-Size Phone Controlled BB8 Droid (Part I)

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