Alright, so I’ve been messing around with this thing called Osmo, and let me tell you, it’s pretty neat. It’s like, you have these physical objects, and somehow, the iPad or iPhone knows what they are. It is super cool. It’s made by this company called Tangible Play, and I guess they have this “Reflective Artificial Intelligence” thing going on. But I’m here to talk about the images you see when using Osmo.
Getting Started
First off, I downloaded the Osmo World app. I created an account, no big deal. Then, you gotta choose a game. I went with the Words game. It’s where you spell out words based on pictures. I mean they make it sound so easy, but that is some hard stuff!
The Setup
So, you set up the iPad or iPhone on this stand, and there’s this little mirror thing you clip onto the camera. I think that’s how the magic happens. Once that’s done, you put these letter tiles in front of the device.
Playing the Game
When I started the game, it showed me a picture on the screen. I’m supposed to figure out what the picture is and spell it out using the letter tiles. It is like having to read someone’s mind! They have a bunch of letters, and you got to move them around until the app recognizes the word.
What I Saw
- Pictures: These are the main things you see. They can be anything, really. I saw animals, objects, like all sorts of things. Some were easy to guess, others, not so much.
- Letter Tiles: These appear on the screen too, but they’re just a reflection of the real ones you’re using. It’s kind of trippy to see them there, but it helps you know if you’ve placed them correctly.
- Hints: If you’re stuck, you can get a hint. It might show you a letter that’s in the word or something. These were helpful.
- Feedback: When you get a letter right, it turns green, and when you’re wrong, it’s red. And when you guess the whole word, it is a bunch of different colors!
Wrapping Up
So yeah, that’s pretty much it. Osmo uses these images to create a fun, hands-on learning experience. I will say, that it was much harder than I thought it would be! It’s a simple idea, but it works really well. I can see why kids (and adults, honestly) would love this. I spent a bunch of time playing, and I know that I will be playing a lot more later. It’s a great way to learn and have fun at the same time.