HERO (robot)
Encyclopedia
HERO is the name of several educational robot
s sold by Heathkit
during the 1980s. The Heath Company began the HERO 1 project in October 1979. The first units were available in 1982. Models included the HERO 1, HERO Jr., and HERO 2000. All three were available as kits, or for more money, prebuilt by Heathkit. Currently, the 1980s models are considered collectors items, due to their apparent rarity. For the most part, they cannot perform practical tasks, but are more geared toward entertainment and education above all.
with a Motorola
6808 CPU and 4 kB of RAM
. The robot featured light, sound, and motion detectors as well as a sonar
ranging sensor. An optional arm mechanism was available.
, a Polaroid
sonar range sensor, a light sensor, and a sound sensor. An optional infrared sensor was available as well. Other optional components included a pair of extra batteries to double the operational time between charges, from an estimated 4 hours to 8 hours. A remote control accessory allowed users to drive the robot around. It included a motion sensor that caused the robot to croak "SOM-THING-MOVE" when it detected 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 sensed movement while on "guard duty". Also, additional cartridges with programs and games were available, 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 featured an indentation to allow the robot to transport up to 10 lb (5 kg). The robot could speak several phrases from various films that either involved robots or computers. It was also capable of remembering and repeating back its masters name, as well as singing songs, reciting poems, and making its own combinations of phonemes to create a robotic gibberish.
, several sensor
s, and the ability to add expansion cards using a passive backplane
.
. When available it may cost as much as $8000. The HE-RObot is expected to be marketed to the educational market.
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
s sold by Heathkit
Heathkit
Heathkits were products of the Heath Company, Benton Harbor, Michigan. Their products included electronic test equipment, high fidelity home audio equipment, television receivers, amateur radio equipment, electronic ignition conversion modules for early model cars with point style ignitions, and...
during the 1980s. The Heath Company began the HERO 1 project in October 1979. The first units were available in 1982. Models included the HERO 1, HERO Jr., and HERO 2000. All three were available as kits, or for more money, prebuilt by Heathkit. Currently, the 1980s models are considered collectors items, due to their apparent 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 was a self-contained mobile robot controlled by an onboard computerComputer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
with a Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
6808 CPU and 4 kB of RAM
Ram
-Animals:*Ram, an uncastrated male sheep*Ram cichlid, a species of freshwater fish endemic to Colombia and Venezuela-Military:*Battering ram*Ramming, a military tactic in which one vehicle runs into another...
. The robot featured light, sound, and motion detectors as well as a sonar
Sonar
Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
ranging sensor. An optional arm mechanism was available.
Technical data
| CPU | Motorola 6808 |
| RAM | 4 kB |
| Monitor ROM | 2 kB |
| Input | Hex keypad with 17 keys |
| Output | six 7-segment LEDs |
| Storage | Compact Cassette |
| Height | 20 inches |
HERO Jr. (RT-1)
A smaller version of HERO was released later, called HERO Jr. Heathkit intended it for the home market, and therefore made it less complex, and more self contained. Like HERO 1, HERO Jr. had a 6808 processor, but only 2 kB of RAM. As well, it sported onboard speech synthesisSpeech synthesis
Speech synthesis is the artificial production of human speech. A computer system used for this purpose is called a speech synthesizer, and can be implemented in software or hardware...
, a Polaroid
Polaroid Corporation
Polaroid Corporation is an American-based international consumer electronics and eyewear company, originally founded in 1937 by Edwin H. Land. It is most famous for its instant film cameras, which reached the market in 1948, and continued to be the company's flagship product line until the February...
sonar range sensor, a light sensor, and a sound sensor. An optional infrared sensor was available as well. Other optional components included a pair of extra batteries to double the operational time between charges, from an estimated 4 hours to 8 hours. A remote control accessory allowed users to drive the robot around. It included a motion sensor that caused the robot to croak "SOM-THING-MOVE" when it detected a source of motion
Motion (physics)
In physics, motion is a change in position of an object with respect to time. Change in action is the result of an unbalanced force. Motion is typically described in terms of velocity, acceleration, displacement and time . An object's velocity cannot change unless it is acted upon by a force, as...
.
Heathkit released several add-ons to increase the robot's capabilities, including a transmitter to activate a home security system in the event it sensed movement while on "guard duty". Also, additional cartridges with programs and games were available, 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 featured an indentation to allow the robot to transport up to 10 lb (5 kg). The robot could speak several phrases from various films that either involved robots or computers. It was also capable of remembering and repeating back its masters name, as well as singing songs, reciting poems, and making its own combinations of phonemes to create a robotic gibberish.
Technical data
| CPU | Motorola 6808 |
| RAM | 2 kB, expandable to 24 kB |
| Monitor ROM | 32 kB |
| Input | Hex keypad with 17 keys |
| Output | 9 LEDs |
| Batteries | 6 V 3.8 A·h x2, x4 optional |
HERO 2000 (ET-19)
The much more powerful HERO 2000 included several onboard microprocessors, onboard speech synthesisSpeech synthesis
Speech synthesis is the artificial production of human speech. A computer system used for this purpose is called a speech synthesizer, and can be implemented in software or hardware...
, several sensor
Sensor
A sensor is a device that measures a physical quantity and converts it into a signal which can be read by an observer or by an instrument. For example, a mercury-in-glass thermometer converts the measured temperature into expansion and contraction of a liquid which can be read on a calibrated...
s, and the ability to add expansion cards using a passive backplane
Backplane
A backplane is a group of connectors connected in parallel with each other, so that each pin of each connector is linked to the same relative pin of all the other connectors forming a computer bus. It is used as a backbone to connect several printed circuit boards together to make up a complete...
.
Technical data
| CPU | Intel 8088 |
| RAM | 24 kB, expandable to 576 kB |
| Monitor ROM | 64 kB with integrated BASIC BASIC BASIC is a family of general-purpose, high-level programming languages whose design philosophy emphasizes ease of use - the name is an acronym from Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code.... |
| Input | RS-232 terminal interface |
| Output | RS-232 terminal interface |
HE-RObot
The forthcoming HE-RObot is the result of a strategic partnership between Heathkit and White Box RoboticsWhite Box Robotics
White Box Robotics was founded in 2000 by Thomas Burick. In 2005, White Box was acquired by Frontline Robotics of Ottawa, Canada and in working together the company designed, developed, manufactured and launched the 914 PC-BOT the first of the 9-series robots, a general service robot designed for...
. When available it may cost as much as $8000. The HE-RObot is expected to be marketed to the educational market.
Technical data
| CPU | Intel Core Duo |
| RAM | ? |
| Monitor-ROM | ? |
| Input | ? |
| Output | ? |
Literature
- Mark J. Robillard: HERO 1 - Advanced Programming and Interfacing, H.W. Sams 1983. ISBN 0672221659
- Howard Boyet: Hero 1 - Advanced Programming Experiments, Heathkit/Zenith 1984. ISBN 0871190362
- John D. Hubbard, Lawrence P. Larsen: Hero 2000 - Programming and Interfacing, Heathkit/Zenith 1986. ISBN 0871191539