LONDON, UK, 15 November, 2018 – RS Components (http://uk.rs-online.com/web/) (RS), the trading brand of Electrocomponents plc (http://www.electrocomponents.com/) (LSE:ECM), a global multi-channel distributor, announced today the availability of a new product, Sphero’s SPRK+ (http://uk.rs-online.com/web/c/?searchTerm=p-semis-l1-p8-1018_uk&searchType=Offers&dr=N), which is designed to provide students with hands-on computer programming education. Sphero embraces the understanding that play is a powerful teacher and its SPRK+ provides engaging activities and lesson plans for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) learning.

The new product supports RS’ longstanding programme to support the learning and development of the engineers of tomorrow, both at school and at higher academic levels. Designed to inspire creativity and invention, the SPRK+ robot delivers a complete hands-on experience for young people to learn about programming and robotics and share their creations with a community of other Sphero users.

The SPRK+ robot is designed for use with the Sphero Edu app. The platform provides scaffolded learning activities, lesson plans and games. Combined together, kids can learn to code through simple drawing, blocks-based coding and JavaScript.

Each SPRK+ robot has a highly durable scratch-resistant UV-coated polycarbonate shell and provides an attractive built-in LED-supplied glow. It is controllable by users via Bluetooth Smart over a 100ft range and can move at up to 4.5 mph, or 2m/s. The SPRK+ can be easily charged up via inductive charging, which provides more than one hour of use on a full battery. New product features can be introduced via app and firmware updates.

In addition to the availability of the individual Sphero SPRK+ robot, a special education pack that includes a set of 12 robots is available for purchase by educational institutions. Both are now shipping from RS in the EMEA and Asia Pacific regions.

About RS Components
RS Components, Allied Electronics & Automation and IESA are the trading brands of Electrocomponents plc, a global multi-channel distributor. We offer more than 500,000 industrial and electronics products, sourced from over 2,500 leading suppliers, and provide a wide range of value-added services to over one million customers. With operations in 32 countries, we ship more than 50,000 parcels a day.

Electrocomponents is listed on the London Stock Exchange and in the last financial year ended 31 March 2018 had revenues of £1.71bn.

For more information, please visit the website at www.rs-online.com.