Sphero R2-D2 App‑E nabled Droid

Can this bucket of bolts teach kids to code?

$180 From Sphero, sphero.com Features Bluetooth, USB charging, LED lights, integrated speaker

Sphero, the company that makes the spherical robot perennially on display in Apple stores, has made a name for itself with its clever use of gyroscopes and its app-controlled “Star Wars” tie-in robots.

The company’s newest addition, R2-D2, is a small but accurate replica of everyone’s favorite droid (or at least their second favorite – we’re looking at you BB-8!) Standing at 6.7 inches tall, R2-D2 can be directed around your home with Sphero’s companion app for iPhone and iPad using a free control mode, given a patrol command, or be told to follow a set path. The latter two didn’t yield very good results however, and free control is way more fun. You can also tap the preset actions to elicit a little jig or series of bleeps and bloops, which is very satisfying.

Coming in at $180, R2-D2 might seem quite expensive for a toy with such limited abilities, but dig deeper and things get a lot more interesting. If you have an iPad, there’s a free app called Swift Playgrounds (see bit.ly/swftply), written by Apple, which aims to make learning to code fun and easy for both children and adults alike.

Sphero has created a Swift Playgrounds template that will guide you through the basics of making R2-D2 move around and play a sound, then tasks you with helping R2-D2 find Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Tatooine desert, evade Stormtroopers, and roam the forbidding Death Star, all using the Swift programming language. The step-by-step nature is great for beginners, and with a little help, the 12-year-old we tested this with was able to perform all the tasks that the playground had set for her.

Having this physical element to programming, something that can be seen and interacted with in the real world, seemed to make all the difference. Failure was met with determination to succeed rather than giving up, and was almost as much fun as getting it right, since R2-D2’s personality comes through in its movements and sounds.

Sphero’s take on R2-D2 is great, and the little droid really looks and sounds just like the movie version. Its playground is well presented and easy to follow. However, Apple also offers a good selection of free playgrounds with which to cut your teeth.

the bottom line. The entertainment value may hold a kid’s attention through the learning experience, yet this programmable R2-D2 is undoubtedly more of a luxury item than an essential. Gary Riches