BB-8 Pays Visit To Poudre Valley Hospital For 'Star Wars Day'
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4) - In Northern Colorado, Poudre Valley Hospital celebrated Star Wars Day with a visit from BB-8.
Sphero, the Boulder-based company who created the droid, brought BB-8 to the hospital Wednesday to visit patients.
Members of the 501st Legion, also of Boulder, joined in the "May the 4th Be With You" events dressed as characters from the movie. Hospital staff organized the event to bring smiles to patients and staff.
"Distraction is a great way for kids to not feel pain. It also helps the time go by and decrease their anxiety," said Geri Tamborelli, director of women and children's services at PVH. "It brings a smile to their face and it makes a place like the hospital not be so scary."
Since releasing the Star Wars toy for retail sales in 80 countries last year, Sphero spokeswoman Claire Tindall says the company has seen a "phenomenal" response. The app-controlled BB-8 droid sells for $150 in stores.
"It kind of put us on the map and it really proved to the industry that you don't have to be headquartered in L.A. or New York," Tindall said. "It really kind of solidifies Boulder, and Colorado, as a hub for innovation and tech."
Tindall declined to speak about the droid's sales figures, but said, with the help of BB-8's success, Sphero has grown from just 50 employees when in launched in 2010 to 150 today. Most of those employees live and work in Colorado.
"We've grown our employee base significantly, and new opportunities are coming our way every day," Tindall said.
In January, the company unveiled its "force band," a device that controls the BB-8 droid through arm motions and gestures -- "Jedi-like gestures," Tindall noted. The force band will be on retail store shelves in fall of 2016.
Lauren DiSpirito is CBS4's Northern Newsroom reporter. Follow her on Twitter @CBS4Lauren. Share your story ideas with her here.
