Technology plays an integral role in our daily lives in our rapidly advancing digital age. Devices like smartphones have become essential tools for communication, work, and entertainment. However, these devices require regular updates every few years to keep pace with evolving needs and technological advancements. This not only ensures compatibility with new applications and services but also enhances performance, security, and user experience. Updating technology is crucial to harnessing the latest innovations and maintaining seamless connectivity in an ever-changing world.
The same reasoning applies to education technology (EdTech) as well. Programmable robots, like Sphero’s coding robots, eventually need a refresh, update, or even a brand new look and feel, especially when these updates can offer the most technologically advanced features and offer new opportunities to elevate learning for educators and students in PK–12 classrooms worldwide.
Recently, we announced the launch of Sphero BOLT+, the next evolution of our most popular programmable robot in education worldwide. In this blog, we’ll explore the key differences between the two robots and discover why these updates make BOLT+ our most advanced round robot to date.
BOLT+ New Features & Benefits
The core features and functionality of BOLT remain in BOLT+, with improvements across several areas. This includes using a high-resolution LCD display instead of an 8x8 LED matrix, new LEDs for indications and for play, improved Qi-compatible wireless charging, and an enhanced driving experience. BOLT+ also features a new processor architecture that utilizes a single, dual-core system on a chip (SOC). This is different from BOLT, which uses separate processors for driving and communication.
128x128 LCD Screen
Choose from hundreds of images and animations to display on the 128x128 pixel LCD screen to expand expressive opportunities for creativity and learning.
- A library with hundreds of images and animations is available in the block programming canvas.
- The library is searchable, and students can "star" a photo for repeat use in a program without having to find it again and again.
- Students can also print text and display sensor information in real-time on the BOLT+ LCD screen.
New Blocks
A new robot means new software capabilities. BOLT+ includes new, exclusive programming blocks in the Sphero Edu app.
- Roll to Distance block – Make BOLT+ roll for a defined distance instead of only for a defined time.
- Drive block – Turn manual drive on and off. Now you can drive BOLT+ while a program is running.
- On Ambient Light Sensor event – Program how BOLT+ responds to different environmental light levels.
- On Distance Sensor event – Make something happen after BOLT+ rolls a certain distance.
- On Time Elapsed event – Make something happen after a certain amount of time has elapsed. Display blocks – Print text, display live sensor data, and display vivid images and animations.
- On Button event – Interact with your BOLT+ in a whole new way by utilizing buttons to trigger actions on your BOLT+.
Drive While Programming
The new Drive block allows students to turn on and off the manual drive controls while a program is running. Imagine fun possibilities like:
- Manually driving BOLT+ through a maze while the robot shows different images and plays different sounds.
- Drive BOLT+ around the room to check and respond to different light levels. Use an On Button event block to display the light levels on the screen!
- Play fun games where students drive BOLT+ and use a variable to record the number of collisions.
Improved Power Management
Don’t let batteries drain the fun out of your classroom learning experience. With BOLT+, we’ve solved common concerns about robot battery life.
- Shake-to-Wake Feature:
- After BOLT+ is inactive for a few minutes, the robot turns off. Simply shake it to wake it up.
- Qi Wireless Charging:
- Charging will automatically turn off so the battery doesn’t drain over time.
- Improved Battery Life
- A full battery will last a full school day under normal conditions.
- Optimized charging cycles for a longer battery life.
Classroom Management
Make the most of the time you have with your students with these optimizations for classroom management.
- Connecting to BOLT+ is simple. Match the robot ID printed on the robot and on the display to the robot ID in the app and tap “Select.”
- Did you accidentally disconnect? The app automatically reconnects to the last robot it connected to within the last 5 minutes.
New Content Offerings
Ready to get started? Dive into the robust library of exclusive lessons for BOLT+ that will help you create the perfect plan for your students.
- The transition to BOLT+ is backward compatible with all BOLT lessons, including Computer Science Foundations (the LCD screen has a matrix emulator), so no lessons are lost.
- The 20 Challenge Cards included in the BOLT+ Power Pack are a great place for students and teachers to start. You can access the digital version of the Challenge Cards here.
- BOLT+ offers new standards-aligned lesson collections for computer science, science, language arts, engineering design, and more.
- 50+ new free lessons will be available within 3-6 months of launch.
Upgrade to Sphero BOLT+ Today
Here’s your chance to experience teaching and learning with BOLT+, our most advanced round robot yet. If you already have Sphero BOLT and want to upgrade, for a limited time, get $70 off a BOLT+ robot for each BOLT robot you trade-in. Contact your local Sphero Expert to learn more.
