Heathkit HERO 2000
Rating: 6/10, Surprisingly capable and extremely educational. If you had any interest in robotics in the ‘80s, you were undoubtedly familiar with a company called Heathkit, which sold some of the most capable robots regular consumers could buy, although they weren’t cheap. Its HERO (Heathkit Educational RObot) line included a series of DIY robot kits of increasing complexity, with the HERO 2000 debuting in 1986 with a $3,000 price tag. It was one of the company’s most complex offerings in the ‘80s, with a highly-articulated arm with gripper, room-sensing sensors, and even voice synthesis. Its practical usefulness was limited aside from impressing nerdy friends, but for those interested in learning about electronics, building the DIY bot was a worthwhile challenge.
