Sphero RVR - The Programmable Robot Kickstarter

Sphero, the company behind numerous consumer robotic products such as their namesake product the Sphero and their other major product, the Ollie have launched a Kickstarter for their latest product, the programmable robot called RVR (Or Rover).

Those who may not have heard of Sphero may be familiar with their technology as it was utilized to help bring the BB8 robot from the movie Star Wars The Force Awakens to life.

The RVR is Sphero’s next big project, one that they claim is their most advanced consumer robotics project yet.

The RVR is packed with a ton of different features. We will quickly go into a few of these now but if you want to learn more about the device, then make sure you check out their Kickstarter.

One of the best parts about the RVR is its multi-surface driving capabilities. Using rubber treads and powerful high-torque electric engines the RVR can deal with various surfaces and rough terrain with ease. Meaning it is a viable bot to utilize in outdoor environments.

Beyond the powerful electric engines, the RVR also features a sophisticated control system that helps ensure that the RVR can navigate accurately.

Using the control system that the Sphero team developed the bot can maintain a specific heading and relative position regardless of the obstacles, uneven surfaces and more that it faces. This system allows the RVR bot to maintain accuracy where many other build-a-bot platforms fall apart.

In addition to the control system, the Sphero RVR comes jam-packed with a whole heap of sensors that allow you to add additional functionality to the device without needing to add any other hardware. The RVR comes with a color sensor, light sensor, IR sensors, Magnetometer, Accelerometer, and a Gyroscope.

The RVR was also designed to be highly expandable from its very inception with it being able to send and receive data through both USB and a UART interface. This gives devices such as the Raspberry Pi the ability to access the RVR at a low level and provide commands to the device directly. The RVR can provide power to your Raspberry Pi from its 4,000mAh battery.

This interfacing opens the RVR up to a vast realm of potential. One example given by Sphero would be to develop some computer vision that is handled by the Raspberry Pi to get the RVR to follow and track your cat.

Of course, there is a considerable amount that you could potentially create using the RVR as a platform, such as a robot that traverses an area monitoring the various groundwater levels. The limit is your imagination and of course the capability of the device that you are attaching to it.

We believe that the Sphero RVR will be an amazing platform for those who are wanting to develop projects that needs mobility but want an excellent and well-built base to work off of.

If you are interested in Sphero’s latest device don’t forget to check out the RVR Kickstarter for before it ends in 27 days.