Sphero Kickstarter Rewards Include Chance to Visit HQ for Hackathon. Oh, and a Robot

If you’re a self-professed (or otherwise acknowledged) robotics geek (like me), you don’t want to miss this Kickstarter project from Sphero – you know, the company that brought you the take-home version of Star Wars’ BB-8.

Launched just this morning and already up to more than 500 backers for a grand total of almost $135,000 pledged, the Kickstarter project hopes to make the company’s newest robot, RVR, a reality. (I’ve actually had to update those numbers twice, strike that, three times while attempting to post this article.)

“RVR is drivable right out of the box,” Sphero explained in a press release this morning, “making it approachable and accessible to coders of all levels, including beginners. In addition, its advanced features are geared specifically for those looking for a more complex coding experience – the first of Sphero’s products to do so. For advanced coders, RVR can be fully customized through a universal expansion port, full suite of on-board sensors and an advanced control system.”

Pledge rewards range from $50 off the usual $249 price tag all the way up to an all-expenses paid trip to Sphero’s headquarters in Boulder, CO, to compete in an RVR Hackathon on March 14, 2019. The latter prize applies to folks who back the project within the first week, after which they will be randomly selected to take part.

For more information about Sphero or this project, check out their Kickstarter page.