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Backyard Brains Launch app

Meet SpikerBot Build a brain Create a creature

The robot you teach by wiring its neurons, not by writing code.

Drag neurons onto its brain, connect them to its camera, ears and wheels, and press play. Change one connection and you change who it is. No robot yet? Build and test brains in the app today.

Also on Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android. All downloads

A blue SpikerBot dressed as a cat, beside a tablet showing the brain it runs.

Ready to roll? Pre-order SpikerBot

A palm-sized robot with a brain you build.

SpikerBot carries a camera, distance sensors, a microphone, a speaker and color lights, all wired to a spiking neural network of up to 100 neurons running live on the robot. Hear its neurons crackle as it senses the world.

Then make it yours: add ears, wings, whiskers, tails or 3D-printed parts, wire in motors and lights, or let two SpikerBots meet.

  • Ages 10 to 99
  • No internet needed
  • Open-source hardware & software

Pre-order

SpikerBot

Build a brain, create a creature.

What's in the box

  • 1 × SpikerBot robot with camera, distance sensors, microphone, speaker and RGB lights
  • 1 × body shell, ready to dress up
  • The SpikerBot app, free on every platform below

$299.99

Estimated shipping late November to early December 2026.

Pre-order now goes straight to secure checkout. Want more than one? Choose a quantity in the store.

Runs on 4 AA batteries (rechargeable NiMH recommended, not included).

Free on every screen Get the app

Start right in your browser

Nothing to install. Open SpikerBot on a laptop or desktop and start wiring a brain right away.

Launch the web app

Same robot new brain new creature

Thirty example brains come with the app. Open one, change a single connection, and watch the behavior change.

  • Curious Cat

    SpikerBot turns into a cat. It chases a red object like a ball of yarn, and meows at random.

    Camera · Distance · Speaker

  • Red Light Green Light

    It rushes forward when it sees green and stops dead at red. Try racing a few SpikerBots.

    Camera · Motors · Lights

  • Spike the Dog

    When Spike sees you, whistle and it comes to you. Bored, it spins around looking for someone to play with.

    Camera · Microphone · Motors

  • Predator or Prey

    Flip one neuron from excitatory to inhibitory and the hunter becomes the hunted.

    Camera · Distance · Motors

  • Cranial Chameleon

    SpikerBot changes color to blend in with red, green or blue objects around it.

    Camera · Lights

  • Elementary Motion Detection

    Copy the circuit a fruit fly uses to tell which way something is moving.

    Camera · Lights

Bringing SpikerBot to your classroom?

SpikerBot was developed with grant support from the National Institutes of Health. Get a formal quote for your school, or ask our education team anything.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a SpikerBot to use the app?

No. Build brains and test them in the app first. When your robot arrives, the app connects to it over SpikerBot's own Wi-Fi network, so no internet is needed to play.

Do I need to know how to code?

No. You build behavior by dragging neurons and wiring them to SpikerBot's senses and wheels. There is no code to write.

Which devices does the app run on?

The web app runs in your browser on a laptop or desktop. You can also install SpikerBot from the Microsoft Store for Windows, the Mac App Store (macOS 10.15 or later), the App Store for iPhone and iPad (iOS 13 or later), and Google Play for Android phones, tablets and Chromebooks (Android 8 or later).

When will my SpikerBot ship?

Pre-orders have an estimated shipping date of late November to early December 2026.

Can my school buy SpikerBot?

Yes. Get a formal quote for your school, or contact our education team with any questions.

Where do I get help?

Contact Backyard Brains for help with the app, your robot or your order.