Waseda Flutist

A seated silver humanoid robot whose torso and arms highlight many black wires wears a black hat and plays a flute against a white background. — This robot toots its own flute. Photo: Waseda University

The Waseda Flutist is a robot that can play the flute just like a human can. It has lungs, a mouth, and a tongue that are closely modeled on human organs, and it's technically proficient, albeit robotic.

Creator

Waseda University

Year

2011

Country

Japan 🇯🇵

Categories

Features

Saxophonist and flutist robots perform a duet. Video: Waseda University

Did you know?

The full name of the robot is Waseda Flutist Robot No.4 Refined VI, or WF-4RVI.

A human sized humanoid robot and a human female each play a flute while sitting side-by-side looking at sheet music on a stand. — The robot performs a duet with a professional flutist. Photo: Waseda University

History

The Waseda Flutist was created by Atsuo Takanishi, Jorge Solis, and colleagues at Waseda University, in Tokyo. The Flutist robot is essentially made up of two acrylic cylinders and bellows for the lungs, a vibrato mechanism to imitate human vocal cords, an artificial tongue and lips made of a thermoplastic rubber called Septon, two CCD cameras for the eyes, and flexible arms and fingers that can open and close. Together, these "organs" have 41 degrees of freedom and are driven by complex mechanical systems of motorized levers and pulleys under the control of actuators and a computer. In 2008, the Waseda researchers demonstrated how the Flutist robot could play a classical duet with a robotic saxophonist partner, as well as improvise responses to a human saxophone player.

Specs

Overview: Equipped with actuators that mimic human lips, lungs, and tongue. Capable of processing visual and aural cues when playing with human musicians.
Status: Inactive
Year: 2011
Website: takanishi.mech.waseda.ac.jp/top/research/music/flute/wf_4rvi/index_2011_ENG.htm
Height: 170 cm
Weight: 150 kg
Sensors: Two CCD cameras, air pressure sensor, air flow sensor, optical encoders, force sensors, microphone.
Actuators: DC motors, AC motors, and a harmonic drive.
Degrees of Freedom (DoF): 41
Materials: Oral cavity, vocal cord, and lips made of Septon thermoplastic rubber; tip of the tongue mechanism made of gel; lung system made of acrylic; fingertips made of RTV silicone rubber.
Compute: Three computers (one for controlling the robot, one for generating the accompaniment MIDI data, and one for processing data from the CCD cameras).
Software: Linux OS. Custom control software.