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KHR-1 Build Report
Kondo launched the humanoid robot industry when it created the KHR-1 for a reasonable price back in 2004.
The KHR-1 has since been discontinued and is no longer in production. Kondo continues to make great robots
with the KHR-2HV and the KHR-1HV, but the original KHR-1 is difficult to find. We were fortunate enough to
obtain a KHR-1 kit that had never been assembled.
The total amount of time it took to assemble the KHR-1 was almost 12 hours starting from taking the parts out of
the box and ending with getting the robot to move under its own power. This was pretty close to the amount of
time it took to build the Robonova-1 as detailed here.
Kondo launched the humanoid robot industry when it created the KHR-1 for a reasonable price back in 2004.
The KHR-1 has since been discontinued and is no longer in production. Kondo continues to make great robots
with the KHR-2HV and the KHR-1HV, but the original KHR-1 is difficult to find. We were fortunate enough to
obtain a KHR-1 kit that had never been assembled.
The total amount of time it took to assemble the KHR-1 was almost 12 hours starting from taking the parts out of
the box and ending with getting the robot to move under its own power. This was pretty close to the amount of
time it took to build the Robonova-1 as detailed here.
Here is the packaging of the kit
PREPARATION:
The first thing we did was download the English instruction manual available from Kondo here. It is clear that the
English translation of the original Japanese instructions are not perfect. For example, page 7 of the instructions says
"This product can be made by screwed up each parts." We're sure Kondo is not trying to imply that their product is
screwed up, rather, the KHR-1 must be built by screwing many parts together. While the drawings in the instructions
are usually very clear, you have to take the English wording with a grain of salt.
The second thing we did was pull up the build report from Robosavvy, available here. This build report was very
comprehensive. In fact, rather than attempt to reiterate what has already been done well, we will use our build report
to point out mistakes we made along the way. We will also be pointing out the differences between the KHR-1 and the
other robots we have built and used. Hopefully it will provide an interesting lesson in how much progress the robotics
industry has made in making robots more user friendly and accessible to beginners.
The first thing we did was download the English instruction manual available from Kondo here. It is clear that the
English translation of the original Japanese instructions are not perfect. For example, page 7 of the instructions says
"This product can be made by screwed up each parts." We're sure Kondo is not trying to imply that their product is
screwed up, rather, the KHR-1 must be built by screwing many parts together. While the drawings in the instructions
are usually very clear, you have to take the English wording with a grain of salt.
The second thing we did was pull up the build report from Robosavvy, available here. This build report was very
comprehensive. In fact, rather than attempt to reiterate what has already been done well, we will use our build report
to point out mistakes we made along the way. We will also be pointing out the differences between the KHR-1 and the
other robots we have built and used. Hopefully it will provide an interesting lesson in how much progress the robotics
industry has made in making robots more user friendly and accessible to beginners.
TOOLS:
As we mentioned in our Robonova-1 Build Report, building the KHR-1 is much easier when you have a set of
Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) screwdrivers. These screwdrivers are built specifically to match the hundreds of
screws in the robot kit. If you try to use American screwdrivers, you run the risk of stripping the screws.
As we mentioned in our Robonova-1 Build Report, building the KHR-1 is much easier when you have a set of
Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) screwdrivers. These screwdrivers are built specifically to match the hundreds of
screws in the robot kit. If you try to use American screwdrivers, you run the risk of stripping the screws.
We made another interesting observation at this stage regarding the
servos. All 17 of the servos contained in the KHR-1 kit are identical. This
means they all have servo wires of the same length, about 12 inches. So
the servo in the robot's ankle has the same length of servo wire as the
servo in the head. What ends up happening is that the ankle servo wires
are too short, so you have to attach an extender wire later in the process.
But it also means that the head servo wire is too long, so it takes up more
space under the already crowded back cover.
The advantage of this approach is that if any one servo goes bad, you can
swap it out with another one. For example, if a thigh servo burns out, you
can switch it for the head servo, and keep on walking. (This actually
happened to us, as we describe here). It also makes construction easier,
because you don't have to pay any attention to which servo you install in
each part of the body. In contrast, the Robonova-1 has specific servos for
each joint, with the appropriate amount of servo wire to reach the control
board.
servos. All 17 of the servos contained in the KHR-1 kit are identical. This
means they all have servo wires of the same length, about 12 inches. So
the servo in the robot's ankle has the same length of servo wire as the
servo in the head. What ends up happening is that the ankle servo wires
are too short, so you have to attach an extender wire later in the process.
But it also means that the head servo wire is too long, so it takes up more
space under the already crowded back cover.
The advantage of this approach is that if any one servo goes bad, you can
swap it out with another one. For example, if a thigh servo burns out, you
can switch it for the head servo, and keep on walking. (This actually
happened to us, as we describe here). It also makes construction easier,
because you don't have to pay any attention to which servo you install in
each part of the body. In contrast, the Robonova-1 has specific servos for
each joint, with the appropriate amount of servo wire to reach the control
board.
Charging the battery can take 12 hours
SERVO SURGERY:
We cruised through the construction of the remaining brackets, until we reached page 16 in the manual,
where it says to remove the free servo horn on one of the shoulder servos. We were shocked that
building a robot that was crafted so beautifully and with such precision would require you to hack off part
of a servo! It just seems so strange that after spending hundreds of dollars to buy the kit, you need to
deface one of the servos. The battery won't fit into the chest compartment unless one of the free servo
hones is removed, so there is no way around it.
Couldn't the engineers have just built the torso to be a few millimeters wider at the shoulders?
Chopping off part of a servo is such a brute approach to an otherwise elegantly designed robot.
Another thing to consider is that once you have removed the free hone from that specific servo, you can
never use that servo in any other part of the body ever again! Without that little bit of plastic, that
specific servo is forever designated for use in a shoulder only. Fortunately, this design flaw was
corrected in later Kondo robots like the KHR-2HV and KHR-1HV. No such surgery is needed.
Despite the uncomfortable feeling, we forged ahead and clipped a servo. No pain, no gain.
We cruised through the construction of the remaining brackets, until we reached page 16 in the manual,
where it says to remove the free servo horn on one of the shoulder servos. We were shocked that
building a robot that was crafted so beautifully and with such precision would require you to hack off part
of a servo! It just seems so strange that after spending hundreds of dollars to buy the kit, you need to
deface one of the servos. The battery won't fit into the chest compartment unless one of the free servo
hones is removed, so there is no way around it.
Couldn't the engineers have just built the torso to be a few millimeters wider at the shoulders?
Chopping off part of a servo is such a brute approach to an otherwise elegantly designed robot.
Another thing to consider is that once you have removed the free hone from that specific servo, you can
never use that servo in any other part of the body ever again! Without that little bit of plastic, that
specific servo is forever designated for use in a shoulder only. Fortunately, this design flaw was
corrected in later Kondo robots like the KHR-2HV and KHR-1HV. No such surgery is needed.
Despite the uncomfortable feeling, we forged ahead and clipped a servo. No pain, no gain.
Why label the parts bags if the
instructions don't refer to them?
instructions don't refer to them?
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TOTAL TIME TO BUILD:
Here is a high level summary of each step in the process and how long it took:
Individual Step Time Cumulative Time Step
1 hour 49 minutes 1 hours 49 minutes Connect servos to frame brackets
0 hour 50 minutes 2 hours 39 minutes Set neutral position on all servos
0 hour 18 minutes 2 hours 57 minutes Assemble both arms
1 hour 16 minutes 4 hours 13 minutes Assemble both legs
0 hour 07 minutes 4 hours 20 minutes Attach control board to robot frame
0 hour 44 minutes 5 hours 04 minutes Assemble head and shoulder brackets
0 hour 47 minutes 5 hours 51 minutes Attach arms & legs to robot frame
0 hour 25 minutes 6 hours 16 minutes Use software to set up control board ID
1 hour 41 minutes 7 hours 57 minutes Connect all servos to the control board
0 hour 15 minutes 8 hours 12 minutes Set Trim for neutral position
1 hour 15 minutes 9 hours 27 minutes Organize and clean up servo cables
2 hours 15 minutes 11 hours 42 minutes Trim and cut back cover
Here is a high level summary of each step in the process and how long it took:
Individual Step Time Cumulative Time Step
1 hour 49 minutes 1 hours 49 minutes Connect servos to frame brackets
0 hour 50 minutes 2 hours 39 minutes Set neutral position on all servos
0 hour 18 minutes 2 hours 57 minutes Assemble both arms
1 hour 16 minutes 4 hours 13 minutes Assemble both legs
0 hour 07 minutes 4 hours 20 minutes Attach control board to robot frame
0 hour 44 minutes 5 hours 04 minutes Assemble head and shoulder brackets
0 hour 47 minutes 5 hours 51 minutes Attach arms & legs to robot frame
0 hour 25 minutes 6 hours 16 minutes Use software to set up control board ID
1 hour 41 minutes 7 hours 57 minutes Connect all servos to the control board
0 hour 15 minutes 8 hours 12 minutes Set Trim for neutral position
1 hour 15 minutes 9 hours 27 minutes Organize and clean up servo cables
2 hours 15 minutes 11 hours 42 minutes Trim and cut back cover
NOTE: These robots are not meant for children. All of the humanoid robot models discussed on this website use
powerful servos that can pinch or even crush your fingers if you are not careful. Consult the recommended minimum
age from the manufacturer before allowing children to use any of these robots.
powerful servos that can pinch or even crush your fingers if you are not careful. Consult the recommended minimum
age from the manufacturer before allowing children to use any of these robots.
There are lots of small parts to keep track
of, including hundreds of tiny screws
of, including hundreds of tiny screws
FIRST STEP:
The first step in the manual is to charge the
battery. Later in the process you will need to use
the battery and the control board to set the
neutral position on each servo during assembly.
Since it takes about 12 hours for the battery
charge, your best bet is to start charging
immediately.
It was interesting to note that Kondo went to
great lengths to neatly organize all of the tiny
wires and parts into little bags with labels like
"Parts Bag A". However, they completely failed to
refer to them anywhere in the instructions, aside
from the parts list. It would have been nice if the
instructions said you can find the battery
charging cable in Parts Bag E. Oh well.
The first step in the manual is to charge the
battery. Later in the process you will need to use
the battery and the control board to set the
neutral position on each servo during assembly.
Since it takes about 12 hours for the battery
charge, your best bet is to start charging
immediately.
It was interesting to note that Kondo went to
great lengths to neatly organize all of the tiny
wires and parts into little bags with labels like
"Parts Bag A". However, they completely failed to
refer to them anywhere in the instructions, aside
from the parts list. It would have been nice if the
instructions said you can find the battery
charging cable in Parts Bag E. Oh well.
All servos are identical. They all
have the same length of wire.
have the same length of wire.
You want me to do what?
Chop off part of the servo! Seriously?
Chop off part of the servo! Seriously?
After the servo surgery you can see how small the bit of
plastic is that was removed. Was this really necessary?
plastic is that was removed. Was this really necessary?
This picture shows that the battery won't fit in the torso
unless you trim down one servo. The victim is the top servo.
unless you trim down one servo. The victim is the top servo.
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