1. The Sphero robot is controlled and programmed using an app from your tablet or phone via Bluetooth. You simply connect Sphero just like you would any other Bluetooth device.
On your tablet or phone download and install he SpheroEDU app. (You don't need to do this if your group is using one of the CIS iPads - the app is already installed)
Open the SpheroEDU app.
Hold Sphero near your device. You should get a message "SPRK Connected" and Sphero's light should change to the color set on the color wheel.
2. Get to know Sphero! One of the things that makes Sphero robots so unique is that its heading is relative to the user, not relative to the robot. This makes it much easier to get Sphero robots moving in the direction you want. Note in the diagram below that zero degrees is directly away from the user while 180 degress is toward the user.
3. Aiming Sphero. When you set Sphero's direction to 0 degrees this is called "aiming" Sphero. It's important to get this right so that Sphero will follow the path and not bump into anything. To do this you need to adjust the blue "tail light" so that it is pointing directly at you. This way when Sphero rolls it will roll away from you.
Sphero isn't the brightest crayon in the box! He must be aimed each time he starts.
4. Preparing to Drive.
In the Sphero EDU app click on the Drive button on the bar on the bottom of the app as shown below.
Click on the Aim button as shown below.
Move the blue circle around the outside of the circle to aim your Sphero. Your Sphero should be rotating around as you do this. Remember this is his "tail light", when it is pointing directly at you Sphero will move away from you forward.
Once you have the blue tail light aimed. Lift your finger from the circle. You will now be taken back to the Drive screen. From here you can drag the blue circle inside the gray circle to drive your Sphero robot. The blue circle on the vertical line controls the speed. Sphero can travel up to 4.5 mph! You can also change Sphero's color by dragging the little white circle to a different color in the circle of colors.
5. Practice Aiming and Driving.
Change your Sphero's color to make it easier to keep track of which one is yours.
Take your Sphero over to the practice driving area. Take turns aiming and driving your robot from the start line to the finish line. Practice getting Sphero to stop as close to the finish line as possible.
6.EXTRA CHALLENGE: Drive Sphero back to you from the finish line to the start line.
CLASSROOM IDEA!
Think about how you could use driving Sphero in class?
5. Practice Aiming and Driving.