Violin playing robot

[archerships]

Violin robot

Dec. 6 - The race to produce the first practical home robots has heated up with Toyota’s new range - including one that plays the violin.

In a demonstration of the new robots’ achievements, Toyota brought out a 152 cm (5 ft), two-legged robot dextrous enough to play a few stanzas — complete with vibrato sound — from Edward Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance”, a popular tune at graduation ceremonies.

Toyota said it planned to further advance the robot’s dexterity to enable it to use tools and assist with domestic duties and nursing and medical care. The robot has 17 joints in both of its hands and arms now.

Original: craschworks - comments

Comments

[integreillumine.livejournal.com]

I won't be interested til they can do it as well or better than, say, Anne-Sophie Mutter. :p

[browascension.livejournal.com]

I'd settle for a robot that picks up the violin and positions its hands correctly.

Robot playing violin... or violin playing robot?

Robomusic

[infrogmation.livejournal.com]

From perspective of the music produced, I heard 19th century mechanical automotons that played better. They didn't try to reproduce human movements-- moving pegs rather than fingers on the bridge, and rotating wheels instead of the bow. Perhaps if the goal is to make a machine that plays violin, imitating human anatomy may not be the best way.

What I'd really be impressed by is if they can build a violin playing robot which, if a string breaks midway through a performance, can improvise a way to finish the piece with the remaining strings.