In this article, we will discuss Sphero SPRK, which is a modern robotic ball for kids. We all know that the world is evolving daily, and people need new advancements and innovations to make their and their loved ones’ lives stable enough to make each day better.
For this purpose, many new devices and gadgets have been developed, which have brought positivity and improved how we live in our society.
Combining Learning with Playing Sphero SPRK
The idea of SPRK is revolutionizing and promoting the education environment at a younger age. This amazing device designed by Sphero has made a remarkable change in this digital age.
A robotic ball utilizing different mechanisms developed previously to control toys for teaching children and adults is the device known as Sphero SPRK.
This device has been developed to make the children adapt to the coding basics and implement different computer languages. Almost a million SPRK units were sold in the year it was launched.
Bring children and parents to the digital age.
The literal abbreviation of SPRK is “Students, Parents, Robots, and Kids”. This term was initially crafted to make children and parents aware of the new happenings of this digital age. There is an amazing application to operate this device, providing students with a teaching platform.
The best thing about this device is it can be used anywhere according to your feasibility and accessibility. It is one of the most gentle ways of introducing children to computer programming that can be helpful for them to have some prior knowledge and interest in the subject having the most scope and area to grow worldwide.
Design
The design has been made specifically in a sphere shape to be portable enough to carry anywhere, like a ball. It has a translucent casing that thoroughly moves to have essential control buttons, motors, and LED safely induced inside the sphere, making it the strongest little robot.
Sphero has added an extra scratchproof structure with YV coating and a design with rough treatment with shiny fending. It is very authentic for in-house testing, having a washable body.
It has a waterproof structure with a washable exterior without harming any built-in machinery, so there will be no problem operating it effectively.
Features
Free driving: This will be the most fun for the kids as it lets you roam wherever you want with your Sphero. The LED functionality and the basic speed can be tested out here.
Sphero program modesBlock programming: Kids won’t find C++ very user-friendly, so Sphero comes with a block-based programming language named Scratch. Scratch teaches the language by single lines of code and works with blocks, making it easier for the kids.
C Programming: After mastering block programming, you should move on to C. If you have some knowledge about Arduino, the flow of the language will be quite familiar to you.
Draw: This is, again, just for fun, as it involves no programming at all. The Draw mode allows the kids to design a path, and then the Sphero follows. This takes the kids’ creativity to the next level, as it does not drown the kids in several lines of code.
Sphero 2.0 vs SPRK
The main difference between the SPRK and the Sphero 2.0 is that the SPRK comes with a transparent shell, whereas the 2.0 has an opaque one.
This clear shell allows the kids to see the electronics and the inner workings of the Sphero. Additionally, the inductive charging base is also transparent. This is a nice feature; it teaches kids what goes down in Sphero.
It shows the kids that it’s something they can understand instead of thinking of it as a magic ball. If you decide to go for the Sphero 2.0, you need not worry; you could look up a Sphero teardown to understand how it works. Images taken of Internals can also be helpful here.
Sphero SPRK also comes with an educational app, but it also works with Sphero 2.0, so it’s not exclusive to SPRK. There’s also a difference in the packaging regarding the SPRK, including a protractor and a design notebook. Schools might not have use for the design notebook, but it’s a nice touch.
PROS
- Strong waterproof design Scratch-free structure Smart coding facility Fun and learning experience Moves from beginner to expert according to the learning level.
CONS
- Low charge capability Can’t make use of other Sphero applications
