HERO is a series of several educational robots sold by Heathkit during the 1980s. The Heath Company began the HERO 1 project in October 1979, with the first release in 1982. Models include the HERO 1, HERO Jr., and HERO 2000. Heathkit supported the HERO robot line until 1995. All three were produced as kits, or for more money, prebuilt by Heathkit. The 1980s models are considered collectors items, due to their rarity. For the most part, they cannot perform practical tasks, but are more geared toward entertainment and education above all.
HERO 1 (ET-18)
HERO 1 is a self-contained mobile robot controlled by an onboard computer with a Motorola 6808CPU and 4 kB of RAM. The robot features light, sound, and motion detectors as well as a sonar ranging sensor. An optional arm mechanism and speech synthesizer was produced for the kit form and included in the assembled form. To make this power available in a simple way, high-level programming languages were created. For example, the ANDROTEXT language is a HERO 1 editor and compiler developed in 1982 for the IBM PC. HERO 1 is featured on a few episodes of the children's television programMr. Wizard's World. Byte magazine called HERO 1 "a product of extraordinary flexibility and function... If you are interested in robotics, Heath will show you the way".
HERO Jr. (RT-1)
A smaller version called HERO Jr. was released later. Heathkit intended it for the home market, and therefore made it less complex, and more self-contained. Like HERO 1, HERO Jr. has a 6808 processor, but only 2 kB of RAM. It has onboard speech synthesis, a Polaroid sonar range sensor, a light sensor, a sound sensor, and an optional infrared sensor. Other optional components include a pair of extra batteries to double the operational time between charges, from an estimated 4 hours to 8 hours. A remote control accessory allows users to drive the robot around. It includes a motion sensor that causes the robot to croak "SOM-THING-MOVE" when it detects a source of motion. Heathkit released several add-ons to increase the robot's capabilities, including a transmitter to activate a home security system in the event it senses movement while on "guard duty". Also, additional cartridges with programs and games were produced, as well as a components to allow the user to directly program the robot. The drive mechanism is backward compared to the HERO 1, with the drive and steering wheel in the back of the robot. The head section features an indentation to allow the robot to transport up to. The robot can speak several phrases from various films that involve robots or computers. It is capable of remembering and repeating back its master's name, singing songs, reciting poems, acting as an alarm clock, and making its own combinations of phonemes to create a robotic gibberish.
HERO 2000 (ET-19)
The much more powerful HERO 2000 includes several onboard microprocessors, onboard speech synthesis, several sensors, and the ability to add expansion cards using a passive backplane.
HE-RObot
The HE-RObot is the result of a strategic partnership between Heathkit and White Box Robotics, marketed to the educational market. When available, it cost up to. Heathkit sold approximately 50 of these robots before bankruptcy in 2012.
