Osmo (game system)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Educational technology |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founder | Pramod Sharma, Jérôme Scholler |
| Headquarters | Palo Alto , United States |
| Products | Osmo interactive educational games (Words, Tangram, Newton, Numbers, Masterpiece, Coding Awbie, Monster, Pizza Co., Coding Jam, Hot Wheels™ MindRacers) |
Osmo represents a series of interactive educational games blending digital and physical elements, developed by Tangible Play, headquartered in Palo Alto, California. The Osmo system employs a unique “Reflective Artificial Intelligence” technology that integrates a stand with a clip-on mirror, allowing the front camera of an iPad or iPhone to detect and monitor tangible objects during gameplay.
Development
The inception of Osmo traces back to Tangible Play, established in 2013 by Pramod Sharma and Jérôme Scholler, both alumni of Stanford and former employees of Google. Motivated by Sharma’s observation of his daughter’s predominantly screen-based interaction with her iPad, they engineered a solution that transforms the device into “an interactive partner in physical games” through the use of a mirror positioned over the camera.
In 2014, Time recognized Osmo as one of the 25 Best Inventions, while in 2017, Fast Company included it among the top ten “most innovative companies” within the education sector. Osmo products are available for purchase online and at retail outlets such as Target and the Apple Store.
Byju's acquired Osmo in January 2019 for $120 million to broaden its blended learning offerings. However, on January 25, 2024, creditors initiated bankruptcy actions against Byju's to recover outstanding loans. Subsequently, Byju's U.S. branch filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on February 1, 2024, with plans to secure roughly $200 million to cover short-term debts and operational expenses.
Words
Words is an interactive game where players spell words using physical letter tiles guided by picture prompts displayed on screen. Common Sense Education commends its scalable difficulty levels and diverse word collections, making it suitable for both entertainment and educational purposes.
Tangram
This contemporary adaptation of the traditional tangram game involves children arranging physical pieces to replicate shapes shown on the screen, thereby fostering spatial reasoning abilities.
Newton
Newton challenges players to direct bouncing balls toward targets by sketching platforms or positioning real-world objects within the play area, emphasizing physics principles.
Numbers
Set in an ocean environment, Numbers is a math-focused game where participants combine number tiles to burst bubbles and liberate fish. GeekDad highlighted its rapid camera recognition and engaging mathematical interactivity.
Masterpiece
Masterpiece leverages computer vision technology to transform any chosen image into an outline suitable for tracing, empowering users to develop their drawing skills and artistic confidence.
Coding Awbie
Coding Awbie introduces fundamental coding concepts by having players arrange magnetic coding blocks that control a character embarking on an adventure. New Atlas praised it as an effective early learning tool for logic and problem-solving.
Monster
In Monster, children’s hand-drawn creations are animated into characters inhabiting Mo’s world. These animations are automatically saved as shareable video clips. In 2017, Osmo released a Spanish-language version featuring actor Jaime Camil as the voice talent.
Pizza Co.
Pizza Co. merges culinary arts with business skills by utilizing interactive tokens representing ingredients and currency. This title earned a Gold Award from the Parents’ Choice, recognized for engaging children in fundamental mathematics while encouraging creative and collaborative gameplay.
Coding Jam
Coding Jam teaches programming fundamentals through the creation of music. VentureBeat characterizes it as a versatile music studio featuring a variety of characters and instruments, designed to be accessible for children starting at age five, yet providing enough depth for older users to develop complex musical pieces.
Hot Wheels™ MindRacers
Osmo collaborated with Mattel to create MindRacers, which integrates physical Hot Wheels™ cars with digital racing tracks. MindRacers stands out as the first Hot Wheels™ product specifically targeted toward both “boys and girls.”