Ozobot is a programmable, two-wheeled vehicle with colored LEDs, but is only slightly larger than a ping pong ball. Ozobot has downward pointing color sensors, which allow for Ozobot to be programmed either with their Blockly interface (OzoBlockly), or without a screen by drawing color codes free hand. It is a a simple and immediate introduction to the basics of programming without the need for additional equipment.
OzoBlockly supports 5 levels of difficulty from Pre-Reader (with simple graphical symbols only) to Master with full functionality. The graphical programming language of OzoBlockly is closely related to Scratch.
Programs are downloaded to the robot either via Bluetooth or transferred graphically to the Ozobot through a colored blinking zone on the screen, using its color sensor on the bottom. This is a bit slower, but eliminates the need for the usual Bluetooth pairing.
Due to its small size, Ozobot is easy to transport, flexible and usable even with little space, but needs a bit more dexterity and fine motor coordination than slightly larger and more robust robots, such as Thymio II.
Comments