In Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the orange-and-white astromech droid is identified by the designation BB-8.
BB-8 carries a vital map connected to Luke Skywalker and travels with the Resistance pilot Poe Dameron. After Poe is captured on Jakku, BB-8 encounters Rey and becomes one of the story’s key links to the Resistance’s search for Luke.
The droid’s design differs from the classic R2-series form: its spherical body rolls across the ground while its domed head remains balanced on top. The practical on-set version was operated through a combination of remote control and puppetry, helping the character appear physically present alongside the human cast.
BB-8 is sometimes confused with D-O, another small droid introduced in The Rise of Skywalker. R2-D2 is the better-known blue-and-white astromech from the original trilogy, but BB-8 belongs to the sequel trilogy.