We’re officially in the time of A.I. and robots, but we’ve been trying to get here longer than you might think.
The 1980s were the first time companies tried to market and sell robots to the public, and they basically failed. What’s left of their attempts is a strange, fascinating line of robots that can’t actually do much, but are pretty cool to look at. There were robots that poured wine, took voice commands like a vintage Alexa, and even ones that taught kids how to dance.
Check out some products from a weird, forgotten chapter of technology history.
1
Androbot FRED
Released in the 1980s, FRED was aimed at kids and helped teach the basics of robotics.
2
HERO Robot Jr.
An educational robot that moved around and spoke phrases.
3
ComRo Tot
Built by ComRo in 1982, Tot was a basic learning robot for classrooms and hobbyists.
4
Nintendo R.O.B.
Made by Nintendo in 1985, R.O.B. was a game-playing robot that worked with a couple of NES games.
5
Synpet Newton
An educational robot released in 1989.
6
Hubotics Hubot
Released in 1983, Hubot was a home assistant robot with security and cleaning features.
7
Androbot BOB
Built by Androbot in the 1980s, BOB was an autonomous robot that could move on its own.
8
Heathkit HERO 1
Another of the HERO series, it was introduced in 1982 as an educational robot equipped with light, sound, and motion detectors, designed to teach principles of robotics and programming.
9
Androbot Topo
Designed by Androbot in 1983, the Topo robot was a programmable device designed to teach people how to program in a fun way.
10
Heathkit HERO 2000
Launched in 1986, HERO 2000 had more advanced features and was used mostly in schools and labs.
11
Tomy Omnibot 2000
Omnibot 2000 was a programmable robot capable of carrying objects and playing cassette tapes, serving as an interactive household companion.
12
RB5X
Made by RB Robot Corporation in 1983, this was a programmable robot with sensors used in schools and labs.
13
Arctec Gemini
Released in 1985 by Arctec Systems, Gemini was a large, self-charging robot built for research and development.
14
ComRo I
Introduced in 1981, ComRo I was one of the first educational robots used to teach control and movement.
15
Tomy Dustbot
Released in 1985, it was designed to mimic cleaning activities but couldn't actually clean.
