Tech Dept: Robot Drummer

[Garritan]

Engadget reports (http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/12/hawk-wifi-robot-is-probably-more-fun-to-hang-around-than-your-fr/#continued) about a robot drummer.
Hawk is a humanoid, autonomous, wireless, and handsome robot made by Canadian company Dr. Robot. He's got WiFi, a GPS navigation system, dual cameras in his moveable, animated head, and a host of other cameras and sensors that keep him trucking along. Designed with education in mind, Hawk's skill set is a bit limited, but his hands are pretty impressive. Hawk is on sale now, and while there's no price listed for the bot, base parts of the robot are in the range of $5,000. Video of Hawk beating the skins after the break: yes, we're aware of the fact that he's not exactly John Bonham but, then again -- neither are any of your friends, right?
Here's a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QPzgFnGwbU


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I imagine that with some practice this robot could get better in time. Could this be the future of music production? Samples replaced by robots playing real instruments? I Robot!

[SeanHannifin]

Sounds like my neighbor practicing next door! :D

It seems he also plays wind machine, as produced by his noisy arms.

Still, the idea is cool; and an orchestra made entirely of robots would be extremely interesting. But I'm not sure why the robots have to look like humans... surely there are more efficient ways to design the machines? Can't they be designed for specific instruments?

[DarwinKopp]

A crude animatron, at best, like something from Disney World four decades ago. The robot violinist with the sideways vibrato from a few months back was much more impressive. ;)

Virtual robots already have this covered in spades:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ahoqR6OGdM Animusic - Future Retro

Four arms!

[HongKongCV]

I would agree, Sean. The drummer would be more efficiently designed with a striker/stick poised above every drum in his kit, instead of having to find the drum with cameras before striking it with movable arms.

But the humanoid drummer robot is more challenging, and therefore more impressive.

[conwaylemmon]

i think he's holding back because he's embarassed about his tiny baby drum kit. give the bot a nice dw or sonor kit and i bet he would rock. you can see it in his diodes. he wants to rock

[Styxx]

Right now I would give anything for a robotic right arm. ;)

[wrayer]

At least he/she looks better than most drummers!

[Styxx]

It's obvious he couldn't afford "real" decent drums after dumping all resources into a mechanical dummy. Man! Toy's R Us drums! Yeeeeeeeesssssssshhhhhhhh!~|

[Garritan]

It's obvious he couldn't afford "real" decent drums after dumping all resources into a mechanical dummy. Man! Toy's R Us drums! Yeeeeeeeesssssssshhhhhhhh!~|Styxx, this could be the BIG BASH DRUM set. All you need for a band is the Tiger Guitar and the Polychord electric piano organ. iRobots rule! ;)

[LFO]

At least this drummer will show up to a gig sober and won't be a smarta.....nevermind. :D

-Kevin