Sphero’s Bolt Plus robot has a screen parents would want their kids to look at

Sphero has updated its RC Bolt robotic ball with a higher-resolution LCD screen, providing improved visual feedback that promises to make the new Bolt Plus a better STEM tool for teaching kids the fundamentals of programming.

Originally making a name for itself with a simple remote control ball that could be steered using a smartphone, Sphero eventually found massive success by leveraging its technology to create a miniature version of Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ BB-8 droid, which was the must-have toy during the 2015 holiday season.

Although the Bolt and Bolt Plus look more or less the same — a waterproof plastic sphere with a rolling robot inside — the new version upgrades the original Bolt’s limited 8 x 8 LED matrix display to a full-color 128 x 128 LCD panel.

That’s not exactly mind-blowing when compared to the resolution of screens on modern smartphones, but it makes the Bolt Plus’ screen more entertaining and more useful. In addition to displaying “650+ vibrant graphics and playful animations,” the Bolt Plus can now display “real-time sensor data,” which will provide additional context about what the robot is doing to help kids troubleshoot their code that’s controlling it.

Other improvements include a new tool in the Sphero app allowing the robot to be programmed to roll to specific distances and a “Shake to Wake” feature that quickly brings the robot out of its power-saving mode and immediately reconnects it to a mobile device.

Bolt Plus is available for preorder now for $199 if you order just one, with shipping expected in August, but since the company now focuses its efforts on the educational market, there are discounts for schools that order enough for an entire classroom. There’s also a promotion for owners of the original Sphero Bolt, who can trade it in and receive a $70 discount on the new Bolt Plus.