modernizing the heathkit hero 2000, hero 1, and hero jr with modern day parts

Hello Tech Friends, This is my very first post on element14.  I was part of a four person team who built a 1983 Heathkit HERO-1 Educational Robot you've heard so much about.  My wife soldered together the Speech Board.  It was BIG fun to do this as a project with a spouse and friends.  It ran well for years.  Then it sat and collected dust for at least three decades.  But here's the happy ending:  It still (mostly) works fine!  It is in my living room tonight displaying the TIME.  I'm able to drive it around using the PENDANT.  I even taught it to say a few phrases of Japanese, because I have traveled to Japan 15 times and have many friends there.  I have upgraded the LOGIC BOARD and DRIVE MOTOR rechargeable batteries (that MOD worked fine!).  I notice the CLAW and WRIST MOTION is not as smooth as it once was.  It chatters a bit.  But you can tell I'm pleased this "8-bit Bot" from HEATHKIT really did justice to teaching basic and advanced (for it's time) electronics.  So I'm glad to get the word out I have one powered up and working.  And am interested in any easy to do MODs that can modernize it.  Because in helping to upgrade this good "8-bit Bot," you'd be helping a good fella over 60 try to stay current with 2019 tech, such as single board computers (SBCs), Bluetooth 5.1, USB 3 and USB-C, and of course Smartphone Apps.  Peace!

That is a great story. I sure we all would like to see picture or video of it in action. If you still have any documentation from the build, that would help a lot with suggestions.

I forgot to include a few snaps of my Heathkit Hero-1 Educational Robot in our living room (Just waiting to be programmed in HEX by the keypad.  And perhaps soon updated to some new modern tech!).  We built it as a new kit around 1985.  The SPEECH BOARD has been praised by one of my Japanese friends who said, "I like the way yours sounds more than the SOFTBANK PEPPER Robot that is very popular right now."  I'm having some surgery tomorrow (WED).  Perhaps this will give me time to catch up on it's manuals and internet reading.  Thanks for your interest in electronics technology education that is fun yet informative.

~ Dave Boyer, Rochester NY USA, 19 FEB 2019.

David,

That is some cool retro robot and a great history behind it. Good luck with the modernisations you have planned.

Rod

Hi Rod... Thank you kindly!  The Heathkit Hero-1 Educational Robot was truly ahead of it's 1983 time, well engineered, clear kit building instructions and good background information on microprocessors, linear electronics and industrial robotics.  I can see why the product line has a following.  Or has a talented Fan Club!

~ Dave B.

Hi David,

That's a nice-looking HERO! What I really like about the HERO is that it came from a time when people were really looking forward to the possibilities of robots in homes, and the excitement of computers and automation, and it was a complex/sophisticated robot that people were motivated to put in the effort to build. So it's nice to hear that it was a family/friends effort to assemble it at the time.

Hi David,

That's a nice-looking HERO! What I really like about the HERO is that it came from a time when people were really looking forward to the possibilities of robots in homes, and the excitement of computers and automation, and it was a complex/sophisticated robot that people were motivated to put in the effort to build. So it's nice to hear that it was a family/friends effort to assemble it at the time.