Hitec 77003 Robonova I Humanoid Robot Kit

I found the kit to be very well made. The fit of all the components were excellent with the exception of the head attachment which only required a bit of work with a hobby knife and the less than sticky servo mounting tape used to attach the IR sensor to the head.

The Robonova operated right away after assembly with out any hookup to a PC. However the zero settings all needed to be reset to allow the robot to walk without toppling. So, to get it right, a PC hookup will be required.

The manual leaves a lot to be desired. It is very vague in several locations so that good judgment will be needed in several places. Areas to watch for are; the leg servo numbering has conflicting diagrams, and the controller board has a plastic covering which must be partially cut away to allow the three right arm servo connections to go to the correct sockets. The organization and the terminology of the manual could also use some work.

One reviewer complained about the black and white images in the manual. This is very true and I will add that functional clarity is also a concern.

Interestingly, when I finished the robot and installed the software I discovered a PDF of the manual on the CD with excellent color photos which can be enlarged to show details not available in the paper manual. Quite possibly the PDF manual would have helped had I known about it.

I purchased the kit in November 2007. I was at first unhappy about lack of warranty information, and the manual is black and white, and some areas were confusing. The part about connecting the servos to the controller board were vague, and in actuality the hookup was different than I was lead to believe.
There is ,however, a lot of support for the Robonova on various robotics websites and forums. The manual said assembly was 6-8 hours with only a screw driver. It took me about 18 hours with screwdriver (magnetic!!), tweezers, magnifying glass, and some well advised patience. When I was finished, it didn't work. Now for the good part!!!
The service department at HiTec is wonderful. I talked to Tony, who I believe IS the service department. No menu system on the phone. I called and connected and they transferred me right to the department. Tony was great. I think I called 10 times in a 2 week period. He had infinite patience and answered all my questions thoroughly.
I sent it in, and he repaired my errors, made a few improvements that will help in the long run, and sent it back all in about 10 days. Now it works great and I'm learning the robobasic programming. It seems to be fairly easy to learn, but like any programming, I imagine, you have to format it correctly or it just doesn't work. I'm learning.
I give the robot and the technology and the service department 6 stars. The seeming lack of documentation is my only problem. But it is all resolvable. Kudos to HiTec for producing a genuine humanoid robot that even I can operate. And thank you to Tony in HiTec service department!!!

As a hobbyist, who has built Boats, Planes, Helicopters, Cars, and Robots, I have read everything I could get my hands on, and I find this to be an excellent kit. It is Quality, through, and through, and an excellent teaching tool for the new to experienced robot enthusiast. It offers three ways to program, from beginner to experienced, so when you are fininshed building it, you can make it perform right away, and you will be able to add goodies to it, to make it even better. This is not just a toy. You will be amazed at what it can do, and at Amazon's price, you can't go wrong. My oldest Grandson is taking Robotics in second year of High School, and just can't wait to get his hands on Robonova 1. If you search You-tube, on the internet, there are quite a few demos of what it can do. Yes a little expensive....., but you get what you pay for. Look on the internet under RoboSavvy, and it gives you a step, by step, on how to build it, with good hints. Have fun, and enjoy. Thanks Amazon.