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Remember The Heathkit HERO? Check Out '912'

Posted by timothy on Sun Feb 22, 2004 03:12 PM
from the bring-me-a-drink dept.
Toys Hardware Technology
moorley writes "The 912 Mobile Platform built by White Box Robotics based on VIA motherboards as part of their PC Bots program. Still in prototype but they are projecting to have it out by Summer 2004. They have no prices yet, but estimate 'building or buying the 912 for about the cost of a decent PC.'"
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Remember The Heathkit HERO? Check Out '912' 50 Comments More /

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  • Next year... (Score:5, Funny)

    by soapbox (695743) * on Sunday February 22 2004, @03:13PM (#8356967)
    And the Rev. B "security" models will contain combat programs to rid your business of unwanted Time Lords, just like real Daleks... Exterminate! Exterminate! [prezzybox.com]

  • What the hell is that? (Score:3, Funny)

    by MikeCapone (693319) <`moc.oohay' `ta' `llehretleks'> on Sunday February 22 2004, @03:13PM (#8356970) Homepage Journal
    This sure wouldn't fit anywhere in my house.

    No that I'm big on interior decoration, but still. Ew.

  • ....a GIRL robot! (Score:4, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 22 2004, @03:13PM (#8356971)
    Is there an add-on kit so I can use this to complete my dream of building a robot.....a GIRL robot/

  • But, uh, what is it? (Score:2, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    This is Slashdot, do you expect me to click links?

  • I'd like it medium-brown, please (Score:5, Funny)

    by Deraj DeZine (726641) on Sunday February 22 2004, @03:14PM (#8356977)
    So this thing [whiteboxrobotics.com] is a toaster, correct? Will it finally solve the problem that is switching between toast and Pop-Tarts? I don't want to give either of these delicious foods up and I don't have space in my dorm for two toasters set to different levels.

  • Great..... (Score:5, Funny)

    by flewp (458359) on Sunday February 22 2004, @03:18PM (#8357002)
    The "HMV" patrols your home or office, recording any disturbances and e-mailing your PC, cell phone, or even the authorities!

    Great, so by the time you check your email the intruders are already gone and have your TV, jewelry and other valuables.
    • Great, so by the time you check your email the intruders are already gone and have your TV, jewelry and other valuables. Don't forget abouth the HMV.

    • Re:Great..... (Score:5, Funny)

      by Fooby (10436) on Sunday February 22 2004, @03:19PM (#8357011)
      Not to mention a really cool robot.

      • Just wait until someone starts modding these babies. Expect dual machine guns, reactive armour, phosphor mortars, gatling cannon, TOW missiles , flashbangs and a katana. It won't email the fact there is a burglar, anymore. Instead, it will ask what to do with the body ( or what remains of it )...

  • Useful purpose? (Score:2, Insightful)

    by CowboyNick (612553)
    Other than looking like C3P0 and R2D2's bastard child, what exactly are these for?

  • Um ... (Score:4, Insightful)

    by rholliday (754515) on Sunday February 22 2004, @03:19PM (#8357008) Homepage Journal
    Because I really need to hug [whiteboxrobotics.com] my DVD player ...

    Wait a sec. "The 912 "MP3" also features fighter jet technology "video glasses" to view e-mails ..."
    Ignoring the "fighter jet video glasses" for a second, isn't this some sort of jwz corollary? All home appliances expand until they can read e-mail.

    • Re:Um ... (Score:4, Funny)

      by tunabomber (259585) on Sunday February 22 2004, @03:55PM (#8357175) Homepage
      "The 912 "MP3" also features fighter jet technology "video glasses" ...

      Not only that, It runs windows! Never has


      unhandled exception at B7C8 E78A CF89 58CB 3EAB 7E71

      press ctrl-alt-delete to restart your computer


      looked so good as when it's projected in 3D stereo onto a virtual display that's blocking your vision! The Blue Glasses of Death really should have been a feature on the security robot... Much more effective at scaring off crooks than running over their toes repeatedly.

      • Re:Um ... (Score:3, Funny)

        by terrab0t (559047)
        Yeah, maybe I'm not seeing the logic of this setup either: "The robot is running Windows XP Home as an operating system and robot control software from Evolution Robotics."

        So basically, they gave it a reason to kill itself, and the ability to do so. I hope that's covered in the warranty.
      • Perhaps it's a seemingly higher resolution screen that you can peer into to see, like Spock is always wont to do on the original "Star Trek."

  • HMV.. (Score:4, Funny)

    by bishiraver (707931) on Sunday February 22 2004, @03:20PM (#8357014) Homepage
    Cause, as we all know, large grills (Especially on robots) make them more durable.
    • Cause, as we all know, large grills (Especially on robots) make them more durable

      According to Hank Hill, the grill alone will not make the robot complete: it needs propane, and a place to hang the grill tongs. The propane-powered BBQ robot. Hank and his brother Junichiro can agree on this one!

  • pricing info (Score:4, Informative)

    by morcheeba (260908) * on Sunday February 22 2004, @03:21PM (#8357019) Journal
    Their pre-order page [whiteboxrobotics.com] says "Estimated retail cost on a "bare bones" platform should fall between $599 to $699."

  • virtually unstoppable? (Score:4, Funny)

    by tsunamifirestorm (729508) on Sunday February 22 2004, @03:23PM (#8357027) Homepage
    it looks like all you have to do to stop these is to tip the thing over. The other question... what would an intruder actually have to stop it from doing? running into its legs?

  • Always wanted a HERO (Score:3, Funny)

    by oozer (132881) on Sunday February 22 2004, @03:24PM (#8357037)
    Wow, this story brings back a few memories. That HERO robot was the coolest thing I'd ever seen when I was a kid. I remember there was an episode of that "whiz kids" show where they built one. Of course I've never seen one in real life so don't anyone shatter my dreams!
      • I played with one of those in a class once. It was a little beatup. For some reason, it had this glitch where it would transpose these two memory addresses. So, you would be programming it to say something, and it would randomly change an M to an S right in the middle of it.

        I was only in 8th grade at the time, but I seem to recall the teacher mentioning that someone had tried to rewire it.

  • One thing missing: Manipulators (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Chairboy (88841) on Sunday February 22 2004, @03:24PM (#8357041) Homepage
    A robot needs to be more then a computer on wheels. The essence of what makes a robot neat is the idea that it can interact with its surroundings.

    For this to be really fantastic, it needs an arm, and by arm I mean something better than a piece of plastic with a cupholder on the end of it.

    For something really interesting, offer to put a mounting point on the front for an arm to attach to and an industry standard servo controller. Total investment, $100, and now your users can build their own arm. This is assuming that the company doesn't have the expertise to make the arms themselves.
  • ...to counter the 912 "MP3" model, with a robot of their own. [jeffbots.com]

    As for that garish, yellow "HMV" model: yuck. Who wants a robot that looks like a 'Sports' Walkman or a droid from a Vogon Constructor Fleet vessel (assuming they'd match the color of the ship, of course)? [guenthoer.de]

    ~Philly

  • Overkill??? (Score:4, Informative)

    by John Seminal (698722) on Sunday February 22 2004, @03:31PM (#8357080) Journal
    Why do you need the big x86 processors? Is the robot going to be able to have complex thinking algorithms?

    I would probably start with some very cheap circuits. You can program them to do simple movements or simple lcd displays. If you want a "brain", you could add it on. Most of these circuits can be connected to by a serial cable.

    If anyone is interested, there is a ton of information here: http://www.rentron.com [rentron.com]

    • a VIA EPIA 800V can be had for $100 now. about the only thing that can be that is an AVR kit. (which can be had for about $35 for a dev board and $10 for a cable to program it. then download a free compiler/assembler. and $30 for a book on how to program AVR. so that's $75).

      Also that rentron company doesn't sell very interesting stuff.
      Build your own AVR starter kit [sunrise.ch] is going to be a better price than any PICbasic thing and you can program it in C, asm or basic.

      Basic Stamp is extremely weak. A robot desige
  • So when can I get my version with a cockpit and some nice turbojets? I mean, with an add-on kit you could turn it into a gundam or a macross :) Or am I the only wishing he had a real gundam in the backyard ... ?

  • A Heatkit what? (Score:3, Funny)

    by scattol (577179) on Sunday February 22 2004, @03:45PM (#8357140)
    A now that I see what the Robot [robotswanted.com] looks like, I vaguely remember it. Looks cool but just the computer would have been enough. And I don't remember goot girls hanging around with kit robots either. That photo is mesleading!

  • Correct the grammar (Score:2)

    by Anonymous Coward
    "The 912 Mobile Platform built by White Box Robotics based on VIA motherboards as part of their PC Bots program."

    That's not a sentence you retard, it just might work with a verb.

  • Self-portable PC (Score:3, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 22 2004, @03:52PM (#8357163)
    It's a Banana Jr! Will it worship the TV?

  • Educational Buyers beware.. (Score:4, Funny)

    by t0qer (230538) on Sunday February 22 2004, @04:13PM (#8357253) Homepage Journal
    I went to CCOC [metroed.org] for a brief stint in my education for an electronics class. Our lab had 2 Hero's in it.

    This was around 1989, 1990. I'm not sure if anyone else had battled robots before (maybe japanese anime?) but one day we when the teacher went out for a phone call we got it in our heads to arm the Hero's grip arm with hammers, and have gladitorial style combat.

    By the time the teacher got back one Hero drove victory circles around the disabled hero. Couldn't warrenty the thing because of physical damage, so the teacher locked both hero's up in a closet for the rest of the semester.

    Just a warning.. Geek teenagers + 2 > Robots - Teachers Presence = destruction.
  • ... I remember when this came out and I wanted it SO bad- as bad as any 8 or 9 year old kid who's learning electronics can want. I think it was about 300$ or so for the kit- big money back then.

    Most of the comments i've seen so far are jokes poking fun at the way it looks, features, etc. Must be those 'youngins' i've heard so much about. Why, the HERO is the great grand-daddy to that fancy schmancy SONY robot that can walk on two legs. The joke being, "In my day Robots ROLLED around- there wasn't enoug

  • FAQ List (Score:3, Funny)

    by katchins (180997) on Sunday February 22 2004, @04:19PM (#8357286) Homepage
    I can see the FAQ list for this robot...
    1) How often should I perform "Windows Update"
    to get the service packs required to keep
    my robot "functional"?
    2) What happens when my robot crashes? Will
    it shoot me or commit suicide?
    3) What brand of Virus Scanner Software is
    compatible for my robot? Also how often
    should I update the Virus Software?
    4) How ofter should I change the
    "administrator" password?
    5) Can I reformat and install Linux?
  • Can anyone tell me what that stereo looking component in the front is? Looks like something sweet I could put in my MythBox.

  • Did Anyone notice... (Score:2, Interesting)

    by ghost1911 (146095)
    The price? $599-699 for preorders. That's cheaper than an AIBO...

    • Re:features? (Score:5, Funny)

      by Deraj DeZine (726641) on Sunday February 22 2004, @03:24PM (#8357040)
      what kind of AI does it have

      Have you ever played System Shock 2? I imagine that it will be something like that.

    • Re:features? (Score:5, Funny)

      by kfg (145172) on Sunday February 22 2004, @03:40PM (#8357117)
      It's a PC with wheels and sensors. Which is why it will cost about as much as a PC.

      It's as fully programmable as any PC, which means you can make an 802.11g beowulf cluster that will chase the cat around the house.

      Obviously the big thing here is the propriatary AI programing, so I can't tell you anthing about that, but other than that you could whip one of these things up yourself for a few hundreds of dollars of used parts.

      The "other than that" clause is a biggy though, if you don't have a few years to dick with AI software.

      If you do you'll have more fun building one than buying it anyway, but already know that.

      KFG

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