Meet seven versions of the lovely Star Wars robot BB-8.

BB-8, a robot superstar. (? Washington -BB-8 recently joined the "Star Wars" robot family. When it appeared in Lucasfilm (20 15) and Lucasfilm (20 15), it rolled off the screen.

But when the creators of spherical robots started to build this attractive robot, they didn't know that it would become popular so quickly. On March 3 1 day, the audience of Future Congress learned about the group "BB-8 and the future of robots".

It's Joshua Lee, two engineers behind BB-8. He is a senior animation designer in the film, and Matt Denton is the director of electronic design and development of the film. He explained how BB-8 was born. They also talked about how to guide robots to cooperate with humans to shoot complex scenes, and shared some of the most memorable moments of BB-8 inside and outside the camera. [R2-D2 comes true: Star Wars robots already exist] KDSP and KDSP, it is definitely possible to model and animate BB-8 with computer generated images (CGI). But the director of the film firmly believes that the robot is important enough for the story to show that it needs an entity to exist, Li said. In this way, actors can directly interact with robots, Li added.

Li said that when he was brought to The Force Awakens, there were many secrets. He was told that he would study a new robot character, which was vaguely described as "a cunning robot", he told the audience.

A few weeks later, Denton joined the team. The original concept map of the remote-controlled rolling robot does not provide too many details for the designer; It shows two spheres drawn with pencils, one on top of the other. It seems that something has drawn a face on the "head" sphere.

The original drawing (left) of BB-8 is not rich in details. (M.Wei *** erger/Live Science) team made a more detailed conceptual sketch when improving the design of the rolling body and moving head of BB-8, and tested different head sizes and different sensor arrangements, which will be used as the facial features of the robot. The production team of this film is already planning to make BB-8 a breakthrough star, but Lee and Denton don't know yet. They will tell the audience at the future conference.

"We will panic," Denton said.

They finally designed seven versions of BB-8; Denton explained that six of them appeared in movies, and each version had an unofficial nickname.

This version is called "Puppet" and a puppeteer is connected with it. When the movement of the robot needs human manipulation and control, it is used. Two-wheeled rigs are installed on both sides of the "left tricycle and right tricycle" to stabilize the remote control robot when moving and shooting. Animatronic's "Wiggler" is a fixed model with a board at the bottom, but it can be twisted and rotated to take close-ups. Static "lightweight" models can be easily carried, while "stunts" are static and more durable.

And the "bowling" version of BB-8 operation, as the name implies. "You just throw the ball," Li said.

Finally, there is the "red carpet" of BB-8. This remote control model is made after the product packaging is completed, and it is designed for public appearance.

The digital 3D model shows a "tricycle" version of the mobile BB-8 model supported by a two-wheeled drilling rig. (M.Wei *** erger/Live Science) After all versions of the robot are completed, Denton and Li must find a way to make BB-8 work in difficult situations, especially in the flood plain desert scene in Abu Dhabi. There, the wind will blow sand and salt into every crack and crevice of BB-8. Li and Denton said that it was so hot that the soles of shoes melted.

There are so many details behind the scenes to absorb. Before Lee and Denton announced the arrival of a special guest, the audience kept staring at every word of the speaker happily. When BB-8 (the "red carpet" version of the robot) stepped onto the stage to say hello, the audience jumped up and took pictures of the chattering robot. After a few minutes, everyone was quiet and returned to their seats.

The efforts of Li and Denton not only created a working robot-actually seven-but also created a lovely character, which obviously worked. Denton told the audience that with the production of BB-8 "The Force Awakens", this little robot has gained many fans among actors and staff. On the last day of BB-8 shooting, after the last scene of the robot, the film crew gave the robot a loud applause-a film ceremony usually reserved for human actors.

While they were cheering, Denton held BB-8 above his head (a lightweight model was already used in the production that day), and then carried a small robot through the crowd. When he did this, they began to sing the theme song of The Lion King, recalling the moment when young Simba was held high in front of kneeling animals on the grassland in the cartoon.

"In your career, you never thought this would happen," Denton said. "I don't think it will happen again.

Original articles on life sciences.