Sphero Bolt Review: Good Robot for Schools, but not for everyone

As the name may suggest, SPHERO’s fame is a ball game in the form of a ball. These include original SPHERO, SPHERO 2.0, SPHero Mini, BB-8, and BB-9E. The company also markets some of its products towards education as STEM educational tools, especially with the latest SPRK+.Sphero products is another educational robot – The Bolt. It is a simple upgrade from the current SPRK+, with a training LED matrix, and infrared sensors to communicate with other robots, and “more than two hours of continuous play.

Specifications

Goodness

Not very good

Design and devices

SPhero is a small plastic ball, with a diameter of 73 mm (or 2.9 inches). Just like SPRK+, it’s completely transparent, so you can see all the circles and engines inside. SPHERO does not have an official durability classification of the mobilization, but I accidentally dropped it on a journey of stairs while driving it, and the robot survived with a few bells on the exterior plastic.

The main new feature of the actions compared to other SPHERO products is the LED 8X8 matrix. This is mainly used to provide visual reactions for programs; For example, you can get the colors to change the display based on the result of the sensor data.

Another exclusive feature of lupine is that it can speak to other screws, using infrared communications. I couldn’t test this, because SPHERO sent me only one unit, but it allows interconnected programs. For example, the educator can broadcast a specific number, and nearby robots can implement a program based on the received number. I imagine that this will be a selling point for schools that buy bolts in large quantities.

To charge the bolt, you just have to drop it in the guaranteed cradle, which derives the energy from the MicroUSB port. The bolt lasts for more than two hours on one charge, but SPHERO says it may take up to six hours to charge the entire robot. Perhaps this will not be a problem for consumers, but that may be for schools – the booby will only last for two or three academic periods before doing it for today.

programming

SPHERO EDU (Mobile)

To do anything with the bolt, you will need to install the SPhero EDU mobile app for mobile phone. It is available on the Play Store, Apple App Store and Amazon AppStore. This is where you will spend most of your time, fortunately, make SPhero to somewhat easy to use. You must set up an account (or log in to Google), because all your projects are synchronized on the cloud.

The “Home” tab contains a summary of all recently created programs, from both SPhero itself and ordinary users. If you are out of thoughts, you should provide these inspiration. Since the bolt was available for a month only, most of the joint projects were originally created for other SPHERO products, but the vast majority are still compatible with the bolt.

The only programs that do not fully work are those created for non-veiled robots (such as SPhero’s R2-D2) or those that use software instructions blocks not available for trance (such as those that use R2-D2 noise). The EDU will still try to run these programs, but the non -compatible blocs will be skipped.

The “Programs” tab contains your current projects, as well as a distinguished program gallery. When creating a new program, you can choose from three different types – drawing, blocks and text. You can also select the robots that you want to work your project. If you select anything except the bolt, you will not be able to use an LED screen and infrared sensors.

The “clouds” type is for young/beginners users. Draw a line, and Bolt will follow it after pressing the start. You can also change movement speed and LED screen color. It is incredibly essential, but it works.

From left to right: Drawing, blocks, and symbol

The second program type is “blocks”, which uses the same scratch -like coding interface that almost every educational robot uses (including “DOT” and “Cue” that we previously reviewed). You can enlarge and out of the fabric, and there is a wide range of available functions.

You can make Rolt Roll in a specific direction, change LED colors (or create customized patterns/fees), operating sounds, use variables, and more. Experienced programmers can use comparisons, if/other phrases, and multiple types of episodes to create more sophisticated programs. You can also create custom jobs and use them through multiple programs. My only complaint with lumps is to pass the fabric becomes late when you have large open projects.

The last program type is “icon”, where you can write programs for Bolt In Javascript. All functions of the blocks are present, but the goal here is to teach children how to use the building of the programming language. It is a great feature, but it is very shiny to use on the mobile phone app (unless you install something like the Hacker), and automatic perfection is somewhat limited.

Leave: Activity tab; The center, the right: Remote control

The third tab is “Activities”, where you can complete a handful of interactive evidence designed to help you learn programming. SPHERO already has some activities for the screws, but most activities created for previous robots also work.

When you want to break from programming, the final tab is a basic remote control for Bolt. You can wrap it, change its speed, and set the color of the LED panel. There is also a tool for calibration, if you forget the way the robot faces.

In general, the SPhero Edu Mobile app is very good. It is easy to use and respond, and the wide amount of example projects (from both SPHERO and society) is great. I also like all projects coinciding with the cloud, which means that you can edit programs via multiple devices – including desktop computers.

SPHERO EDU (desktop)

If you do not want to create and edit programs completely on a phone or tablet, the SPHero Edu website contains almost all mobile application functions. You can browse the recently downloaded projects, go to activities, and adjust your current programs. For times you need more space, the desktop site works well.

The only fishing is that you cannot run software from the desktop. To test your projects, you must return to the mobile phone application and open the required program from your library. I liked to see SPHERO using Web Bluetooth API, so that the computer can contact directly to the beate.

SPHERO Play

To coincide with the Bolt version, the created application for SPHero Mini has been renamed to “SPHero Play” – it is now working with Mini, SPRK+and Bolt.

This is an advertisement for SPhero Mini, but all the games shown in the video can be played on the bomb.

Many games are available, such as those in which facial expressions are used to drive robot. SPHERO says the application will continue to update it using new motor modes and games.

Should you buy it?

Maybe not. SPhero Bolt is a great product, but the $ 150 demand price seems very high. The only benefits of the Bactering on the oldest SPhero robots are the LED screen and the ability to communicate with other screws. The LED screen does not look like a necessary feature, at least for me, and the connection feature is useful only if you buy more than one nail. The largest battery means that the bomb will last longer with one charge, but it takes a longer time to decorate it completely.

Apart from a third of the bombing price, you can buy SPhero Mini, which contains almost all the bombing features. SPHero EDU and SPhero Play applications are completely compatible with Mini. In addition, as much as I can say, it contains the same sensors as bacteria except for infrared (which is used to communicate between the robot robots). You can even get three of them at the price of one bomb.

Purchase it if …

• You have $ 150 to spend on a programmable ball.

• You really love the LED screen.

• You are a teacher and you want your students to experience infrared communication

Do not buy it if …

• You don’t care about infrared and LED screen.

• You already have one of the other robots in SPHERO.

SPHero Bolt can be purchased from Best Buy and SPhero’s Store. SPHERO also sells 15 packages for classrooms, and a portable “power package” can charge 15 units simultaneously.