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Sphero Bolt Robotic Ball Lights Up, Teaches STEM

Unveiled Monday, the $149.99 educational toy features a programmable LED matrix, infrared sensors that enable it to communicate with other Bolts, a built-in compass that allows for automatic aiming, and more.

Angela Moscaritolo
 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Want to spark your kid's interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics? Sphero's latest app-enabled robotic ball can help.

Unveiled Monday, the $149.99 Sphero Bolt is sure to grab their attention, thanks to its colorful 8-by-8 LED matrix, which is fully programmable. The educational toy also features infrared sensors that enable it to communicate with other Bolts, a built-in compass that allows for automatic aiming, and an ambient light sensor that lets you program the device based on your room's brightness.

For a peek at Bolt in action, check out the video below.

"With Bolt, we've created an experience scaleable for all ages that embraces the knowledge that play is a powerful teacher," Sphero CEO Paul Berberian said in a statement. "Our goal for this product, as well as all future Sphero products, is to provide consumers with an opportunity to learn while having fun."

Bolt supports Bluetooth Smart technology and features a scratch-resistant, waterproof shell. It has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that promises to offer more than two hours of juice per 6-hour charge.

It works with the Sphero Edu app, which lets you browse and share learning and coding projects on iOS, Android, Kindle, Mac, Windows, and Chrome. It also works with the Sphero Play iOS and Android app, which offers fun driving modes and games.

"Create and customize games and learn to code by drawing on your screen, using Scratch blocks, or writing JavaScript text programs," Sphero wrote.

Bolt is available now on Sphero's website, and is expected to hit store shelves later this month.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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