HERO-1 Robot Bartender

[THEROBOTMAN10]

Do you still have the code? I would love to see it!

[wendylouwho]

@THEROBOTMAN10 My custom code is long gone. I did print out my machine language & robot control language hex and mnemonic codes on a dot matrix printer so I could debug before I burned all the routines into an EPROM. HERO had everything I ever wrote quickly accessible from the EPROM (much better than the cassette deck and serial Tarbell format). It was really cool. But I guess after 10 years, I pretty much programmed everything I was ever going to do with HERO.

[archimech1138]

I'm addicted to this video...if you never built a HERO then you might just be temporarily fascinated at the most...

Still awesome post.

Synth sounds like a roland of some kind...

You rock so hard. I'm sending this vid out to friends...

My vids as a kid were boring, just HERO patrolling hallways using sensor inputs and telling our dog to sit.

The gripper and extender were way too weak (even when lubed) to do anything really cool, but your vid rocketh.

You is cool chick.

[archimech1138]

Technodiva....awesome program. Remember how hard the hex addressing was to remember....what's in the accumulator now?

I hated using the tape recorder to save programs and the thing was always plugged into the charger, but what a blast when routines worked.

My HERO is in the basement somewhere still, can't junk it yet even though it's been cannibalized a bit.

PROPS....OLD SKOOOOOOL

[wendylouwho]

I shot this in 1984 with a bulky vidicon tube camera, so yeah, it WAS "old skool," tee hee! :o)

[ORUPRANKSTAZ]

That's quite a limited manipulator... and the end-effector isn't great.. but it was just 1984. Lol I think I got to see one of these in person as a little kid..

[shifzr]

Excellent!

[atruewarrior377]

This is awesome! So retro!

[wendylouwho]

1984 to be exact.

[wendylouwho]

Tee hee, funny you should mention this! I wanted HERO to pour from a high height, for dramatic effect. He poured either low and boring, or high and spilling -- hmmm, tough call! I went with the spill and burned it in EPROM . Most people laughed at this point, so it was a good choice :o)

[darksidesithlord]

Thank you very much for making this video showing what this robot can do. I have picked up an interest in these some while ago, and what you wrote that it was inspired of R2-D2 from Star Wars made me want to get one for sure.

[TheFireFactory]

What's the tune?!?! It's ace.

[wendylouwho]

I created the soundtrack.

[TheFireFactory]

I want a copy!! Have you got a myspace? I'm thinking a big stage show with 10 HERO's doing a big routine! Yes!

[wendylouwho]

...and it was created with Apple's Soundtrack, so not as amazing as if I had played it myself! It was the first time I ever made a song using 100% loops.

[PoPoNellie]

Hmm...THe soundtrack has a certain Kraftwerkiness to it.

[wendylouwho]

Yes it does, on purpose too! The Kraftwerk-like sound were from stock Apple Loops, such as Computer Data 02, Electronic Hit FX 17. The HERO speech was of course from my save speech samples I programmed. This was about the only song I ever created entirely with loops. I mainly use Propellerhead's REASON 4 to create music nowadays.

[wendylouwho]

Actual Soundtrack video now uploaded.

[6364gg2]

I love kraftwerk

[wendylouwho]

That's not Kraftwerk, it's my music. I created it using Apple's Soundtrack. It also features recordings of HERO's speech synthesizer.

[bluecoast1]

Hah--ARP Odyssey in the background...

[wendylouwho]

You are correct! The other one is a Casio CZ-101 (my first synth). That, along with my Atari ST, eventually grew into a huge home studio.

[dodobird116]

in the time it takes that robot to pour it, icould've poured like 9 cups and been drunk already -,-"

[wendylouwho]

Actually, this is the "fast" version! It was originally twice as slow. I first programmed the entire sequence using the remote controller. Then I had to go through the resulting Robot Control Language program and change every speed byte to "high speed". I burned this and every other Machine Language and/or Robot Control Language program I ever wrote for HERO into an EPROM for instant access.

[airborneSGT]

I used to buy and trade robots in my late teens. You can still purchase a good working Hero 1 or JR on Ebay.

[airborneSGT]

I miss my Hero 1 :( I do still however have my Hero Jr!!

[TastyBusiness]

I would love to have a Hero Jr, ever since I was a young child, they were the coolest and most advanced robots (acording to the 10 year old robot books my library had). Only 4000 Hero Jr's were made.

[TastyBusiness]

Awsome, a hero-1 robot that was programmed to serve drinks. im surprised you decided to sell such a valueable appliance.... id pay for one now though. nice job

[wendylouwho]

I do regret selling him now. C`est la vie... such is life!