Via Slashfilm.com:

Some pretty big names attended Star Wars Celebration this weekend — including Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and J.J. Abrams — but the real belle of the ball (no pun intended) was BB-8. The droid’s surprise appearance at the Star Wars: The Force Awakens panel was all the more surprising because up until this point, many fans had assumed he was a CG creation.

But BB-8 is real, at least in the sense that he is a practical effect rather than a CG one. And better yet, he’s one you can (mostly) replicate at home. Find out how to make your own BB-8 after the jump.

As we reported, BB-8’s guts are essentially a modified version of the Sphero, a remote-controlled ball toy. Naturally, the DIY toy version is built around the Sphero as well.

Click below to read the full article.