Robots in the Library: Meet the Ozobots!

Robots and libraries aren’t exactly a match many people would immediately think of, but we have a ton of fun with tiny robots called Ozobots! Though they’re small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, they’re actually capable of reading a certain type of code.

a very friendly Ozobot

To use the Ozobot, you’ll need the following:

· Black, green, red, and blue markers (the larger tip the better!)

· A blank sheet of white paper

· The Ozobot

They travel by following a path created with black markers.

Here, you can see the path I’ve created! However, it also responds by reading code created with the black, green, red, and blue markers. These codes can impact both direction and speed, and even can allow your robot to override the path you originally drew out.

Here, you can also see two ways of providing these codes to the Ozobot:

the first is the one I created myself, using an available list of codes. The second is a test sheet with the colorful codes built into the path itself.

Over the years, we’ve done a ton of creative programs using these little robot friends, and they never fail to provide a space for creativity and fun! Whether it’s experimenting with writing code, telling stories together, or even racing one bot against the other, the opportunities feel endless. Though small, they really are mighty! Check them out in our collection here