Kondo KHR-2HV robot kit headed for international waters

If you find you've "outgrown" your Lego Mindstorms kit (as if!), and are looking to get into the humanoid robot game without putting a second mortgage on your house or pursuing an advanced degree, Kondo just started shipping the KHR-2HV humanoid robot kit to us non-Japanese sods. Kondo's KHR-1 was all well and good, but the KHR-2HV includes more controls, gears and servos, along with improved software and looks. The 2HV can even manage back flips and cartwheels if you've got the technical chops to slap this thing together. Plus, at $1,199 (via Japanese importer AudioCubes) it's practically a steal, and we hear with these smaller models it's fairly unlikely they'll try to kidnap your spouse and children in an effort to grab power from municipal governments. Hopefully this means we have another MANOI on the way as well, since we can't say the 2HV looks quite as swell in the buff.

[Via I4U]

[Matt @ Oct 25th 2006 10:02PM]

I for one DON'T welcome our customizeable robot overlords.

[Gil @ Oct 25th 2006 10:21PM]

What? Robosavvy.com has been selling them internationally for some time. And it's 100% legal not grey-market.

Plus if you want to get a robot you could always get a Robonova-1 or a Bioloid for about the same price.

[daviel @ Oct 25th 2006 11:16PM]

sweet!
i wish though...
what it programmed with???

[_man1c_ @ Oct 26th 2006 2:13AM]

although awesome i cant fathom spending that much on something like this, but am interested in getting something in a way like a robosapian.

[Arnold @ Oct 26th 2006 9:46AM]

The only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys. I really want this.

[mccand @ Oct 27th 2006 6:58AM]

You mean the toys and skills that I was getting in pursuit of my advanced degree are now available to well-heeled children the world over?

Curses!

I guess my only recourse is to go mad-scientist . . .