I’m about to say something totally unbelievable and completely ridiculous: I love Star Wars. There. It’s good to get that bombshell off my chest. I’m a huge fan of the series and eagerly await the upcoming film by J.J. Abrams and the new Disney ownership.

After going through all of the trailers, both foreign and domestic, it occurs to me that there is one thing in particular that is a true standout. Is it the 3-pronged lightsaber? No. Is it the lack of Jar-Jar Binks? Potentially, but not really.

It’s the merchandising BB-8 droid that is taking the world by storm. Better still, it’s actually something you can now purchase (if you’re lucky to find one) in real life. How cool is that?

Want to check out the Sphero (the maker of the product) website? Hit this link.

Since this is one of the biggest toys of the holiday season, I started looking into how the robot actually works. How it balances, adjusts, and moves. It’s all quite impressive and reminds me of the feeling I first felt when I saw the unveiling of the Segway. While that product never quite caught on other than at tourist spots or malls, the BB-8 has a sort of futuristic quality you just can’t deny.

Since the Star Wars BB-8 Sphero droid is likely going to be on the wishlist of students (and teachers and parents) around the world, I wanted to share what I discovered: an amazing 11-minute video from the folks at Tested that shows you exactly how the product works. It’s a moment to truly understand the power of engineering and STEM education in general.

Who will create the next incredible droid for the next Star Wars film? Will it be one of your students?