They're almost ready to roll (well, drive). We just wanted to give you another heads up now that the pre-order period is coming to a close. The highly anticipated release of the all-new Sphero indi robot is rapidly approaching! Scheduled to begin shipping in the next couple of weeks, this entry-level robotics tool is the first of its kind from Sphero. It's built specifically for early education STEAM and perfect for introducing children to key coding concepts. With the indi, students in Pre-K, kindergarten, first, and second grade can engage in open-ended, play-based STEAM learning and problem solving. Built on a unique system, the indi is set to impact early STEAM learning in an awesome way!
There are two different indi kits that educators will be able to use in the classroom. The robots in each kit support up to three students in collaborative learning. The Sphero indi Educational Robot Student Kit is certainly more of an individual robotics solution. There's also the Sphero indi Education Robot Class Pack, which includes eight indi robots and enough accessories to support eight groups of up to 24 students. Each kit also includes the silicone color tiles, programming challenge cards, a quick start guide, and charging cables. The Class Pack, however, comes with some additional accessories, including a classroom tote, charging case, and replacement color cards.
So, how does the indi work? Well, for starters, students can use this unique robot with or without a device. One of the key components to learning with the indi is the set of silicone color tiles we mentioned. They come in nine different colors and each color represents a different action. The indi itself is equipped with color sensors and, as it moves over strategically placed tiles, it recognizes each color. Any time it drives over a tile, it performs a movement or action associated with that color, illustrating to young students how computer code works!
For example, the green tile tells the indi to go faster, the yellow one tells it to slow down, the red one tells it to stop, the purple one tells it to celebrate, and so on. There are also tiles that get the indi to make 90-degree turns as well as 45-degree turns. Setting up the tiles and designing a maze helps students build design thinking skills, solve puzzles, and more whether they're using the indi in the classroom, library, or even at home.
Sphero's indi encourages both open-ended play and exploration. It also incorporates another exciting element in the Sphero Edu Jr. app. Though students don't need a screen in order to learn key skills with the indi, the Sphero Edu Jr. app helps maximize the impact of their learning experiences. As they build mazes, solve puzzles, or drive the indi themselves, students will start to learn basic coding concepts. Ideally, they use this exposure as a jumping off point in developing a strong interest in computer science going forward.
The Sphero indi is Bluetooth-enabled (with a 30-foot range) and has a playtime of over an hour. It takes about one hour and 40 minutes to fully charge and it's capable of reaching a top speed of 1.6 meters per second. You can find both the single indi and the classroom pack below. We're excited for the official shipping date to arrive and look forward to seeing how it's used across early education classrooms. We'd definitely suggest getting orders in early as well! If you have any questions about the Sphero indi, please don't hesitate to contact us. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more and find additional early education tech tools on our store!