Sphero NewsKamrey Mantz
A man holds two pink Sphero Minis in his hands.

Sphero, the industry leader in edtech programmable robots, standards-aligned computer science curriculum, and STEAM-based educational tools, was founded in 2010 in Boulder, Colorado, and has since grown to reach over 40,000 educators, 20,000 education institutions, and millions of students around the world.

Interested in learning more about Sphero, its programmable robots and STEAM kits for kids, and everything in between? In this blog, we’ll go over all your questions about the who, what, and why of Sphero!

What is Sphero?

We make undeniably cool, programmable robots and STEAM-based educational tools that transform the way kids learn, create, and invent through coding, science, music, and the arts. 

A girl sits at her desk in school programming her Sphero BOLT.

 

Our products include Sphero BOLT, Mini, RVR, indi, Specdrums, littleBits, and more. The Sphero ecosystem of tools, content, and curriculum gives kids, teachers, and parents of all learning and coding abilities a blank canvas to solve challenges at home, in school, and beyond.

The Sphero mission is to inspire the creators of tomorrow, and we do that by offering a fun, comprehensive approach to teaching STEAM, robotics, and computer science for kids grades K-12.

What can Sphero robots do?

Sphero programmable robots help kids learn fundamental STEM concepts through play-based learning and educational STEAM activities. You can use Sphero robots to play games, create programs, or complete challenges. Sphero robots are not limited to STEAM, add them into any classroom curriculum for a fun twist in learning.. We offer hundreds of free, standards-aligned activities in the Sphero Edu app and littleBits Classroom. If you can imagine it, Sphero robots can help bring the idea to life!

How do Sphero robots work?

Sphero first started with a programmable round robot ball that evolved into BOLT, our #1 robot used in schools. Since its inception, Sphero has evolved beyond the round robot into other programmable robots, like RVR and indi that drive on four wheels, and littleBits STEAM kits


Sphero robots have many different internal parts that make them work such as motors, LEDs, encoders, processors, a CPU and Bluetooth communication module for connecting to phones, and a gyroscope that keeps it oriented. The classic round Sphero shape is similar to a hamster ball, but is about the size of a tennis ball. A small, wheeled robot inside the shell climbs up the walls and pushes them forward, causing the ball to roll. Another key feature of some Sphero robots, specifically Sphero BOLT, is the practically indestructible, waterproof shell. This is made possible through inductive charging. A copper coil in the charging station creates an alternating magnetic field, and another one inside the ball converts that into electricity to power the built-in batteries.

A green Sphero Mini programmable robot navigates a tape maze on the floor.

Sphero robots are ultimately driven and brought to life by the user, either through Drive mode or through programming in Blocks or Java in the Sphero Edu app. So, when we consider “how Sphero robots work” we have to remember that without a human on the other end providing direction, the robot doesn’t inherently know what to do. 

Who owns Sphero?

Sphero began over a decade ago as a TechStars startup and is now a privately owned company. This means we are a company not traded on the public stock market or owned by the Government, but instead are “owned” by a few company members, investors, and shareholders.

Where is Sphero located?

The locations of the main Sphero offices: Boulder, Colorado, Hong Kong, and Greenville, Texas.

Sphero has employees all over the world working remotely and in satellite offices, but our headquarters is located in Boulder, Colorado. We also have two other home bases: our warehouse in Greenville, Texas, and our international office in Hong Kong.


There you have it — a rundown on all things Sphero! If you want to learn more about Sphero, our mission and values, littleBits, and our other products, visit our About Us page or check out all the cool things we make.

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