Applying Mixed Reality & Sphero Robots to Teach STEM Concepts (Steven Battersby) Interactive Technologies and Games (ITAG) Conference 2015 Health, Disability and EducationDates: Thursday 22 October 2015 - Friday 23 October 2015 Location: The Council House, NG1 2DT

1. APPLYING MIXED REALITY & SPHERO ROBOTS TO
TEACH STEM CONCEPTS

2. ABOUT THIS TALK
In this paper we present the application of Mixed Reality Environments
(MRE) in conjunction with Sphero; a commercial off the shelf robotics
platform.
The result is basis for a framework for educational robotics that is:
 Affordable for use in both a personal and mainstream educational context.
 Robust and safe enough to facilitate this task.
 One which is extendable for use across a variety of curriculum subjects.
 One which is extendable for use across a variety of skillsets.

3. THAT’S HEARSAY!

4. THE SPRK PROGRAM
The SPRK (Schools Parents Robotics Kids) program is a curriculum
developed by the makers of Sphero to teach STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics) based concepts to children (8-13).
At the heart of SPRK is the ethos that play is a powerful teacher.
We aim to expand this thinking further by allowing for learning to take
place within fun games based MRE that not only foster learning, but
also creative problem-solving, teamwork and social interaction.

5. THE SPRK PROGRAM

6. WHAT IS A SPHERO?
Sphero is a robotic ball that can be
controlled by Bluetooth enabled
mobile technologies.
It can be instructed to roll at a given
speed and direction for a given
amount of time.
Sphero also provides feedback in the
form of variable colour illumination.
The robot is unique in that not only
can it perform as a controllable
robot, it can also be used as a
controller.

7. The features of Sphero make it a perfect fit for STEM education as it
allows for the direct mapping of core curriculum concepts such as
compound measures; through to more advanced topics like applied
geometry and computer programing.

8. OUR PROPOSED FRAMEWORK
Our proposed framework expands upon Sphero’s and SPRK’s existing
feature set by facilitating use of the sensors and technologies afforded
by the mobile device used to control the robot.
The result of which is a self-contained system with advanced methods
for interaction and feedback that rival, and in some instances surpass
those of more expensive robots.
This in turn also allows for a more comprehensive level of curriculum
coverage.
 E.g. social competence skills!

9. TECHNOLOGY
ENHANCEMENTS
The enhancements we have currently developed which are afforded by
mobile technology include:
 Audio recognition
 Object recognition
 Symbol recognition
 Text and speech recognition (Inc AI)
 Inertial sensor based input and navigation
 The real-time display of performance metrics.

10. A LOOK AT SPRK
PROGRAMING

11. PROGRAMING WITH SPRK

12. THE COMPLEXITY
QUESTION!

13. TECHNOLOGY
ENHANCEMENTS
The enhancements we have currently developed which are afforded by
mobile technology include:
 Audio recognition
 Object recognition
 Symbol recognition
 Text and speech recognition (Inc AI)
 Inertial sensor based input and navigation
 The real-time display of performance metrics.

14. SYMBOL RECOGNITION

15. OBJECT RECOGNITION

16. A TYPICAL LESSON
In a typical lesson, students will work in small groups to play out an
educational game/scenario. In order to complete each lesson they are
required, but not exclusively to:
 Use Sphero to input commands to manipulate the MRE.
 Write computer programs that control how the Sphero rolls and appears.
 Input commands that control how the Sphero rolls and appears.
Each learning game/scenario takes place in a specially designed table
top gaming space, the arena.

17. THE GAMEPLAY ARENA
The arena facilitates two primary roles:
Foremost it allows for physical objects to be scanned and placed so that
they can become elements of the MRE.
 This allows for real-world objects to become both physical and augmented
features with which the Sphero can interact, in both physical and virtual
space.
Secondly the arena also provides visible metrics that a student can use
to solve a task.

18. CHROMECAST DEMOS
A FEW LIVE DEMOS IF THE TECHNOLOGY AND TIME ALLOWS – IF NOT COME AND FIND ME
AFTER THE TALK!

19. Dr Steven Battersby
Steven.Battersby@ntu.ac.uk
Prof David Brown
David.Brown@ntu.ac.uk
Images & Sources
www.sphero.com
www.google.com
www.developer.vuforia.com
www.dyadic.co.uk
Research undertaken as part of EDUROB
http://edurob.eu/