Retro Scan of the Week: The Perfect Heathkit Robotic Family

March 27th, 2006 by Benj Edwards
The Perfect Heathkit Robotic Family

Flash back to 1986: “Is your family life not quite how you’d like it to be? Does your husband stay late at work and seem ungrateful? Does your wife refuse to clean the house and make you dinner? Are your kids too gross, squishy and organic? Well worry no longer, because now you can buy and build your own Heathkit RoboFamily Plus (GD-9920) for only $2999.95 plus shipping! (Important Note: The ‘RoboFamily Plus’ comes pre-programmed to buy Heathkit products and demonstrate them frequently, thoroughly, and repeatedly, so do not be alarmed if you witness this behavior.)

[Scan from a 1986 Heathkit Catalog.]



7 Responses to “Retro Scan of the Week: The Perfect Heathkit Robotic Family”

  1. Xerone Says:

    Awesome! When can I order mine?!

  2. MegaKitsune Says:

    DUDE! I so remeber that robot from an 80’s book called Robots In The Home. I’ve always prefered the Androbot TOPO robots though.

    Here’s the spiritual successor to the Heathkit bot:

    http://www.whiteboxrobotics.com/

  3. medarch Says:

    All this robot really does is watch football.

  4. Layne Says:

    Why dad, is that an oscilloscope on the coffee table? You know that mom and her dual floppy portable don’t allow it to be out of the workshed.

  5. RedWolf Says:

    Heh. Good call, Layne.

    I wonder exactly what he’s measuring?

  6. Keith Says:

    Holy COW I remember having this too. this site is amazing. never got any of the stuff in the catalog, but I loved looking at all the cool projects.

  7. Cody Says:

    I really like this picture; as an 80s child scene (parents, kids, sweaters, roaring fireplace) is the stuff dreams were made of, and I guess still are, as I’m an adult now and still don’t have anything close to it.

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