8 awesome robots that can play music better than most humans
1985: This robot pianist was built by the Universidad Autónoma de Puebla in Mexico and is capable of reading musical scores and playing the piano.
2005: Toyota created a robot capable of changing the internal pressure in its mouth so it can play the trumpet.
The robot has agility in its arm and hands that allow it to play just like a human! Toyota also made other robots, like a tuba player and drummer, to create a robot marching band.
2008: Greg Locke, a New Zealand-based machine designer, created this robot rock band called The Trons.
The Trons consist of Wiggy, the robot on lead guitar; Ham, the robot on rhythm guitar; Swamp, the drummer; and keyboard player Fifi, the Telegraph reported. They have recorded songs such as "Sister Robot" and "The Trons Theme."
2013: Engineers from the University of Tokyo created a robot band called the Z-Machines, and they recorded an entire EP.
A U.K.-based electronic composer Squarepusher (Tom Jenkinson) recorded the EP "Music for Robots" after the band played his first song "Sad Robot Goes Funny," Wired reported.
2013: This rock band called Compressorhead is composed entirely of robots and have played a series of gigs since 2012.
The three German artists behind the creation of the band raised a little under $45,500 on Kickstarter to build a singer.
They are now in the process of recording an album that includes a new robot singer.
2014: Georgia Tech researchers equipped a drummer with a robot prosthesis that allowed him to continue playing drums after losing his right arm below the elbow.
The robot prosthesis holds two sticks: one that is controlled physically by the drummer and the other that has a mind of its own. The stick with a mind of its own is equipped with electromyography (EMG) muscle sensors, allowing the drummer to control it by flexing.
2015: Those tiny robots next to the drummer are "musical buddies" that can improvise music and dance moves based on what is being played.
The smartphone-enabled bot will also dance to whatever music you decide to play on your phone!
2016: Georgia Tech researchers transformed an ordinary drummer into a cyborg when they equipped him with a robot arm.
The two-foot long smart arm was attached to the drummer's shoulder and is capable of responding to the music it hears. That means if the drummer decides to go with a slow tempo, the robot arm will hear that shift and follow suit.
The future: Jazz musician and computer scientist Kelland Thomas is building an AI system that can learn to play jazz with the eventual goal of building a robot that can play alongside musicians.
Thomas is getting funding from DARPA to make the vision a reality. His hope is to build a robot in five years.
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