The tiny Ozobot robot can teach young kids programming

Ozobot is a little toy robot that blends the physical and digital worlds — and teaches kids programming. The company bills the Ozobot as the world’s tiniest robot, but we figure there’s got to be something smaller than these little guys with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for brains.

It is very basic programming, as you simply train the robots to follow patterns on the surfaces that they roll over. They look a little like Pac-Man ghosts, with domes for heads. Ozobot can identify lines, colors, and codes on both digital surfaces, such as an iPad, and physical surfaces, such as paper.

You can calibrate the robots to follow lines by holding down a power button. Then you can draw lines for the robot to follow in an app. You can create race tracks for multiple Ozobots to roll over.

The company showed the Ozobot off for the first time at last year’s Consumer Electronics Show, and it debuted in mid-2014. To keep its momentum going, the company returned to the 2015 International CES, the big tech trade show in Las Vegas this week.

A single-pack Ozobot with one robot costs $50, while a double pack costs $100.

Check out our video, and the company’s video, below.