From the moment I tried out the Tickle App, I was excited by how it taps into Sphero’s potential. It has a visual interface that resembles Scratch, which many kids in my community are familiar with from school, the library’s coding club, or their own pursuits. It’s easy to get started — just drag and drop commands into place. It was so much fun I may have been a bit of a menace at first because of how fun the commands are — “Just pick it up and shake it. See what happens! What what it does when I drive it into the wall!” We’ve been pretty enthusiastic about Sphero ever since we got our hands on them, and the fact that after all this time we can discover a new app to control the basic hardware just reinforces that this is a good robot to have around.

Hello! Mindy Perry here, guest posting about Sphero 2.0. This is my 2nd year as a school librarian at Greenbrook School. We are a K-5 building and serve approximately 500 students. I’m very new into the world of robotics, although I love technology. My motto is books + tech. Sphero 2.0 is my first robotic type purchase for the library. I participated in ILEADUSA 2014 alongside Robot Test Kitchen. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE what they are doing and I’m honored to be a guest blogger for this very cool site.

Robot Basics

• What is it?

A robotic ball with internal leds that can be driven by any mobile device. Sphero can do tricks, is sensitive enough to dance to music being played, is waterproof and pet-proof.

• What’s in the Box?

It came with the Sphero 2.0 ball, charger, and necessary cords.

• How much?

Price is $129.99 off of Sphero’s website. Mine was ordered through Amazon. Watch for deals on both sites. Amazon was running a sale around Christmas. Sphero had their accessories on sale through there website.

• Age Range?

I’d say Kindergarten and up. Most people of all ages will enjoy Sphero 2.0.

• How we acquired it

I asked for Sphero 2.0 and Ollie as my Christmas present. I left the decision on which one I was going to get in the hands of my mom. I like surprises and would have been happy with either model. The kids were blown away that I would ask for a robot for Christmas just so they could get to play with it during library.

Ideas for use

My first concern and thoughts when I opened the box was about how I was going to set up my Nexus 7 tablet so that it would be easy for students to manage on their own while playing and how I was going to manage the Sphero 2.0.

But first he needed a name. My mom told me a story about a TV show from when she was young about a robot named Tobor (Robot spelled backwards). I couldn’t resist the name so my Sphero 2.0 is now known as Tobor.

Then my brain was flooded with a million questions…..

When will the students play? Who gets to drive? What will the other students do? Where will I house the device? How will it charge during the day? How will I set up the apps on the phone? How will I teach it? My brain has a way of running away without me.

On the Nexus 7, I created a second profile so that I controlled which apps they had access to and at what times. On the homescreen, I downloaded 6 Sphero apps. I took all other apps off the homescreen because the Nexus 7’s only use at this point is to drive the Sphero ball. This minimized confusion of apps. So far so good but I’d be open to any suggestions on better management of Sphero 2.0.

So what does this look like in use at an elementary school of approximately 500 students? I chose to introduce Sphero 2.0 to grades 3-5, much to the dismay of 2nd grade. They were not pleased! Once I get a handle on all of this and the kinks are worked out, I will most likely reconsider for them. I like to jump into things, but I don’t want push myself over the deep end either. Teaching is hard enough. I spend 30 minutes with each class each week. The first 15 minutes, I teach. The last half of the class is for check out. It doesn’t take some students that long to check out so I have different activities and stations that they can do on their own until the end of class. The kids learns on their own and I’m free to help students find worthy reads. Sphero 2.0 has become an option to play with after checking out books. This not enough time! I hear groans and “we’re leaving already?!?” at the end of library. I made it very clear that they need to share the tablet amongst themselves and to problem solve who drives. I wasn’t going to create a spreadsheet on who wants to drive and who drove last. I want them to take ownership of working together without my involvement. The non-drivers for the week can build obstacle courses with the terrain park, 3 chariots, 2 covers, and 3 lbs of Lego’s I purchased.

In a few weeks I will be introducing a project that will take us to the end of the school year. I am modifying Sphero Education’s Chariot Challenge. I will be incorporating lessons on searching, notetaking, and citation into the research portion about chariots. You know, all the librarian stuff we teach. I am thrilled to introduce this project!

Good stuff

Best conversation ever:

Student #1: The library has a robot? No way.

Student #2: You haven’t heard? Everyone’s talking about it. It’s over there……

Enough said. The library is pretty much the coolest place right now. Word spread pretty quickly, as did the amount of questions I answered in the hallway by students who had library later in the week. Tobor’s popularity even reached the middle school. My 5th graders last year found out through the library’s Instagram account.

Frustrations

I’m still trying to figure out if it’s my WiFi connection or the Bluetooth pairing that is causing the connection to say: “Sphero not found” occasionally. The WiFi is not the greatest in the library. It doesn’t happen every time I try to play, but enough that it is causing a little frustration. The students want to drive it, not wait around for it to connect.

Only having one Sphero 2.0 to play with between 20+ students at a time can get a little tricky. So far they’ve been good at sharing and dividing tasks, but it’s only been a week so this may change.

Not enough time to play. This has nothing to do with the robot itself, it has to do with my scheduled amount of time I have to see students each week. They get a few minutes each week and it’s just not enough. I have really excited students who just want to keep building, playing, and learning.

Ending Thoughts and Observations

All I knew was that I wanted to bring a robot into the library. I had no idea what I was going to do with it or if it would be worthwhile. If you’re on the fence, take the jump. It’s warm in the water. It’s very easy to use with little setup. Just search the many apps Sphero has, download and play. Don’t worry if you think you won’t be able to figure it out. You will be able to understand a few key components of the Sphero and then hand it over to the kids. They’ll teach you.

By numbers alone, the first difference is about $30. You can purchase Sphero 2.0 on the Sphero website for $129.99, or you get pick up an original Sphero (let’s call it 1.0 for a moment) on Amazon for $99.99. Other numbers of interest: on the box, Sphero 2.0 purports to be twice as fast and three times as bright as the original Sphero, as well as waterproof and pet-proof.

Both models synced with an iPad with relative ease, but I could only get 2.0 to sync with an Android smartphone. I tried with a couple of different Spheros on a couple of different days, but I haven’t given up yet — I’ll keep working on this (I may even contact Sphero’s tech support, which has been very helpful in the past). For the purposes of this road test (which really took place in a hallway), I only used the iPad.

They seemed equally bright to me, although our 2.0 has a few more miles on it and so is not as shiny. Perhaps the difference is more apparent in a dark room. I didn’t get out a stopwatch to determine if the 2.0 is twice as fast, but it definitely has more spring in its step; the extra power is apparent. The 2.0 starts smoothly from a stopped position, whereas the 1.0 needs a few extra taps on the iPad to get going. The 1.0 is also a little harder to rescue when it finds it’s way under things. I did send them both down a hallway that’s the length of our library, and while the 2.0 is zippier, the 1.0 is also satisfyingly fast. You can also adjust the maximum speed of either. They both operated just fine from as much distance as I could give them

I’m just covering the mechanical differences here, but the smoother handling of the 2.0 will streamline any apps that are used with it. As to the final claims of durability, I’m not brave enough to put a Sphero in water, so I’ll just take their word that it is waterproof. I never actually set out to pet-test the 2.0, but my dog did indeed chase it down and then drop it at my feet, and it was unscathed.

Hopefully you now know what you need to make an informed Sphero decision. I’d recommend either for library use, buy you do get what you pay for, and for $30 more Sphero 2.0 is somewhat faster and easier to maneuver, and possibly more durable.

• What is it?

Sphero is a sturdy, buoyant, waterproof, hard shelled ball that changes color and responds to commands via a handheld device – a smartphone or a tablet. At the most basic, Sphero can be used as a game controller for a number of downloaded games. But there are more complex functions that teach programming as well. It’s very sturdy and waterproof which makes me much more comfortable about handing it to a rambunctious teen or extremely eager toddler.

• What’s in the Box?

Sphero: what’s in the box

There’s the Sphero itself, an inductive charging base and plug, holder, and best of all — two ramps with rubberized feet. Pencil here for scale.

• How Much?

Sphero 2.0 retails for $129.99. The original Sphero is available for $79.99. Either can be purchased at a discount in an educator 10 pack.

• Age Range?

Game play and the pre-coding apps are friendly with kids as young as Kindergarten but Sphero is fun and useful for pretty much any age.

• How Did We Acquire it?

Purchased with ILEAD funds.

Ideas for Use

Sphero can be used just like you’d use any other gaming platform at the library. It’s really so much fun to play with. But for someone who wants to dig deeper into the technology angle with a more active approach, I like the way Sphero allows for scaffolding skills.

Begin by showing users the basic Sphero app. This introduces the capabilities of Sphero, couched within an origin story and a fun game. Then it’s easy to move on to apps that allow users to code without knowing they’re coding. Something like Sphero Draw ‘n Drive has users draw pictures on their handheld device, and then Sphero will act out the drawing that was created, changing direction, speed, and color just like the artist did while drawing. Beyond that, you can move to Sphero MacroDraw or MacroLab which give allow you to add different action components together to build programs, then give you real-time feedback on the macros that you program.

Time Involved

Sphero needs some time to charge, then you’ll need to download the apps you intend to use, and get your bluetooth connection up and running. Plan at least an hour of playing around with it before you introduce it to kids so you’re comfortable with the basic controls.

One-time or Recurring Program

Plenty here to expand into a recurring program.

Extension Activities

Once your kids have mastered the basics, there are lots of educational projects you can embark on, and another app, orBasic for Sphero, that delves deeper into the coding element. You could also use this in a more hands-on Maker program by creating mazes, obstacle courses, and challenge courses for Sphero to compete in.

Skills You Need

You need to be able to connect a device to the bluetooth on your handheld device.

Other Tools You Need

A bluetooth enabled tablet, smartphone, or iPod for each Sphero.

Good Stuff

It is SO MUCH FUN. The fun is really a huge draw for getting users to engage with it. And it’s SO EASY to begin. There are no necessary skills, beyond basic hand-eye coordination, to start having fun with it. If you’re going to jump in an purchase an Educator pack, I think that would be a good, long-lasting value.

Frustrations

The Bluetooth connection on my Android device was pretty fussy. It was much smoother when used with Apple products. I don’t know if this is a function of the Sphero or of my Xoom, but it happened.

It’s a pricier prospect. It works best as a one device per person project, but you could fairly easily construct your event so that two people share one Sphero. But beyond that, each Sphero must have a dedicated handheld device to control it. If your library already has iPads, you’re set. If your community has a 1:1 tablet program in schools, that should work too. Otherwise, this may be a significant limiter.

Ending Thoughts/Observations

I really like this device and think that there are lots of opportunities for fun, education, and expansion.

Overall Rating:

Have a ball! –But proceed with caution (solely due to the cost and additional tablet constraints).

Robot Basics: Sphero 2.0

What is it? (from the website)

• What’s in the Box?

One Sphero 2.0 ball with base, 2 inclines, and ball holder.

• How Much?

129.99 (the app is free)

• Age Range?

Grades 1 and up.  I did the program with Middle School kids.

• How Did We Acquire it?

We purchased it using the ILEAD USA grant money.

Ideas for Use

Bring it out in the Library to whirl around. It will certainly get the kids’ attention.  All ages were interested in playing with it while I was on the reference desk.  The older kids liked to build obstacle courses for the Sphero and try to achieve some of the tricks by leveling up.

Time Involved

You need to download the app for your iPad before you begin.  Play around with it a little bit before giving it to kids.  It can be touchy, so you want to get a handle on the speed.

One-time or Recurring Program

We did a one-time program, however I could see it being used for another program focused only on Sphero.  The kids play together nicely with it, giving each other turns, creating obstacle courses and instructing each other on how to use the toy.

Extension Activities

According to the website and the Sphero packaging, you can use this product with video games and lots of other apps.  We did not go that far into programming with Sphero.

Skills You Need

You should know how to work an iPad and how to download apps. Other than that, it’s pretty easy to use.

Other Tools You Need

You’ll need the Sphero apps. There are over 30 apps available for the Sphero.

Good Stuff

This is easy enough for the kids to figure out.  They were thrilled at all the different capabilities of the Sphero.  They loved running the Sphero into their friends.

Frustrations

We didn’t have enough for anyone, and the kids were disappointed about that.

Ending Thoughts/Observations

I’d like to work with Sphero 2.0 more to see what other games and activities we could do with it.  The basics were entertaining and I can only imagine how much more fun there is to have with the other Sphero apps and games.

Overall Rating:

This is a good investment.  I would buy more.

Here are the robots that we cooked up, and what I learned from this first RTK program at my library:

Sphero

Sphero was the biggest hit with the most people, but is really a one-person activity unless teens are working together to build macros or do other, more advanced programming. It was so much fun though, and everyone enjoyed it and the variety of apps that were available to play with.

MaKey MaKey

I’d have to say that MaKey MaKey came in second for the “wow” factor. I didn’t bring in the variety of conductive stuff that I had would have if the full program was about it, but even with the few items that I had, the teens quickly figured it out and had fun playing Super Mario Brothers with Model Magic clay, the chairs they were sitting on, and pencil drawings.

littleBits

We purchased a Student Set of littleBits, which includes 26 modules. This was enough for two people to comfortably work together, or on their own projects exclusively with the Bits. One teen spent most of the two hour block constructing an elaborate, Rube Goldberg-esque contraption to turn a light on, involving most of the bits. I didn’t provide any additional material for creating the projects outlined in the instructions, but since no one read the instructions anyway, they didn’t seem to miss anything!

BeeBot & Finch

BeeBot is really designed with younger kids in mind, but mine had a fun enough time driving it around for a few minutes. On the other end of the spectrum, the Finch requires a lot more time and patience to start learning, and as a result, in this setting, it garnered their attention for just about as long as the Bee Bot did. In the future, I do think the Finch will be one of my preferred tools for working with this age group as it offers a lot of possibilities for expansion and building a whole program around this one, affordable device.

Cubelets

Cubelets are so easy to snap together into different configurations, test, change, and try again, that they were another highly played with device. I don’t see the basic set of six being something that would hold the interest of teens for a very long time though, without additional cubes or specific program goals in mind. The biggest fun came when the teens constructed the “Fraidy Bot” described in the included cards. This is a robot that runs away when it detects that anything is behind it. They liked antagonizing the Fraidy Bot with Sphero, driving Sphero in circles around the Fraidy Bot. Poor robot!

It was really great to see the teens get excited about the robots, and I am definitely encouraged to plan more in depth programs focusing on individual products, and after running my sample group through all of these, I have a much better sense of what will make for successful programs with each tool. More thorough descriptions and reviews of each of these products is forthcoming.