Sphero’s 2018 Bolt—a baseball-sized orb that could be programmed to roll and scurry around—offered students a visceral experience in early coding. Now, the Sphero Bolt+, aimed at kids ages 8 to 13, boasts a ground-up redesign, which adds a durable, waterproof polycarbonate shell and a more robust internal navigation system. The robot also features a larger screen—a 128-x-128-pixel LCD—which displays over 650 images and animations to enhance lessons on “lifecycles, the solar system, history, and a whole bunch of other subjects well beyond STEM,” says Sphero’s senior product manager, Nate Ubowski.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- How the Electoral College Actually Works
- Your Vote Is Safe
- Mel Robbins Will Make You Do It
- Why Vinegar Is So Good for You
- The Surprising Health Benefits of Pain
- You Don’t Have to Dread the End of Daylight Saving
- The 20 Best Halloween TV Episodes of All Time
- Meet TIME's Newest Class of Next Generation Leaders
Contact us at letters@time.com