Using a Robotic Hand to Play Music
Author Information
Author(s): Kieran Gilday, Dohyeon Pyeon, Dhanush S., Kyu-Jin Cho, Josie Hughes
Primary Institution: Swiss Federal Technology Institute of Lausanne (EPFL)
Hypothesis
Embodied intelligence within manipulators allows for diverse, multi-instrument modalities and variable playing styles with simple control.
Conclusion
The study demonstrates that embodied intelligence is critical for more creative and less robotic musical instrument playing.
Supporting Evidence
- The robotic hand achieved up to 87% variation in piano chord signal amplitude.
- For guitar strumming, the robotic hand covered 65% of the dynamic range compared to human playing.
- The hand's design allows for rapid programming of diverse musical interactions.
Takeaway
This research shows how a robotic hand can play different musical instruments in various styles, making it sound more human-like.
Methodology
The parametric hand was tested for its ability to play piano chords and strum a guitar, measuring stiffness and signal amplitude.
Limitations
The study has limitations in directly comparing robotic playing to human examples without isolating passive finger stiffness.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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