Review by Melissa Powers, Common Sense Education | Updated February 2018

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Cozmo

Name: Cozmo
Item: Cozmo
Rating: 5
Author: Melissa Powers

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A little robot with big personality brings code to life

Subjects & skills

Grades This grade range is based on learning appropriateness and doesn't take into account privacy. It's determined by Common Sense Education, not the product's publisher.

2–12

Great for:

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Choose how you want to interact with Cozmo: play, explore, code, or converse.

In Explore mode, Cozmo uses its camera and facial recognition software to interact with you and its surroundings.

Code Lab Constructor mode uses Scratch blocks to create programs.

Code Lab Sandbox mode uses ScratchJr-like visual blocks for younger programmers.

Earn and spend "sparks" when you give Cozmo challenges.

Pros: Cozmo encourages play and collaboration while challenging students to experiment with code.

Cons: Limited classroom support leaves teachers on their own to integrate Cozmo into the curriculum.

Bottom Line: From Cozmo's engaging personality to endless programming possibilities, this little robot will capture your heart and spark imagination.

How Can I Teach with This Tool?

Remember the digital pet Tamagotchi from the '90s? Take that concept of caring for a digital pet, give it a high-tech robot body and the personality of WALL-E, and voilà! you have a Cozmo. For elementary and middle school teachers (of any subject), Cozmo is a great way to get students interested in coding. Make Cozmo your class pet and assign different students daily chores like feeding it, playing with it, and programming games for their classmates to play. In language arts class, involve Cozmo in storytelling, and during math, program Cozmo to create patterns, plot coordinates, or solve problems.

The Code Lab is a great addition to any coding class that's already using Scratch. You must write the code in the app, but then you can use it to control any Cozmo robot (if you have more than one). In Sandbox mode, students can tap any block before adding it to their code and watch Cozmo perform the action in real time. This is a great way to help students visualize their program as they're building it. Students can create interactive games to play with Cozmo or teach Cozmo how to navigate a course or interact with its Cubes.

What Is It?

The Cozmo app controls the Cozmo robot by Anki. This small robot is designed for tabletop use and connects to your mobile device by broadcasting its own secure Wi-Fi signal (not a Bluetooth connection). Cozmo comes with a charging station and three Cubes, which are battery-powered blocks that Cozmo interacts with. Cozmo talks, sings, moves around, and lifts its arms. With a built-in camera, it also "senses" its environment and uses facial recognition software to interact with humans.

The app offers a variety of interactive games, an exploration mode, and a Code Lab where you can use block coding to alter Cozmo's existing activities or create new programs from scratch. To play with Cozmo, you have to "feed" and "maintain" it like you would care for a robot or pet in the real world. However, these maintenance activities are just part of the experience, and Cozmo is actually maintenance free, except for battery charging, of course. As you play with Cozmo, you earn "sparks," which you use to unlock new activities within the app.

Is It Good for Learning?

The Cozmo robot is a great way to get students interested in coding. Cozmo's personality is cute and friendly, appealing to all ages. At the basic level, students will learn about robots -- taking care of them, interacting with them, and how code controls everything about them. Students can explore the possibilities and limitations of robots. You'll discover that Cozmo is actually very sophisticated, both in its software and hardware.

Digging deeper, the Cozmo Code Lab enables students to see the actual lines of code (in block form) that run Cozmo's games. Students can modify the code or create activities from scratch. Sandbox mode is best for beginners, using icon-based blocks that look like ScratchJr. For more advanced programmers, Constructor mode uses familiar Scratch blocks to create programs that can be very powerful and complex.

Rating Details

Overall Rating

Engagement Is the product stimulating, entertaining, and engrossing? Will kids want to return?

With human-like "speech" and expressions, Cozmo draws you in from the moment you power it on. It's irresistible, wanting you to take care of it and play games together. The more you play, the more activities you unlock.

Pedagogy Is learning content seamlessly baked-in, and do kids build conceptual understanding? Is the product adaptable and empowering? Will skills transfer?

Cozmo adapts to your level, both during gameplay and when you manipulate its code. The app encourages students to try new activities and take control of Cozmo's actions.

Support Does the product take into account learners of varying abilities, skill levels, and learning styles? Does it address both struggling and advanced students?

The app is easy to navigate, with helpful hints along the way, but because your device can't connect to the internet while it's connected to Cozmo, you must disconnect or use another device to access the robust support website.

Common Sense Reviewer

Melissa Powers Media specialist/librarian

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Teacher Reviews

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Featured review by
David D. , Classroom teacher

Classroom teacher

Skyway Park Elementary School
Colorado Springs, United States

Engaging and exciting, but a hassle to set up with WiFi everytime.

My routine is: 1. Start Cozmo, which often consists of taking Cozmo off the charger, placing Cozmo back on the charger, press the button on Cozmo's back. 2. Open iPad and go to Settings/wifi, and select the Cozmo##### network. 3. Load the Cozmo app and dismiss whatever notification might pop-up, then click connect and wait for Cozmo to "wake up". ...

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