Seth Goldstein, a mechanical engineer who worked at the National Institutes of Health, has developed a machine that can play a full-sized violin.
Here is how the kinetic sculpture machine works, according to his website:
The horizontally orientated violin is rotated underneath a reciprocating violin bow while four mechanical fingers are moved to make contact, as appropriate, with the (highest) bowed string…When music is played on an electronic keyboard, a MIDI file is generated which is edited, and then used as the input to the violin computer. This computer generates numbers to control the electronics, powering the various motors to perform the prescribed motions which enable the violin to play the same notes as were originally played on the keyboard.
So far “Ro-Bow” can play an Irish jig, “Hello, Dolly,” “Amazing Grace” and Bach’s “Minuet in G Major,” according to a profile of Goldstein in the New York Times over the weekend.
These Robots Have Their Own World Cup
Humanoid robots are seen at the Institute for Computer Science at the University of Bonn in Bonn July 3, 2014.Ina Fassbender—ReutersResearch associates Larry Vadakedathu and Qin He work with one of their RoboCup entries, a 5-foot-tall metal humanoid named THOR (Tactical Hazardous Operations Robot), in the adult-size league at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia on July 7, 2014.Matt Rourke—APRobocup Junior teams in RoboCup Robot Soccer Championship on July 21, 2014.Lorena Travassos—Fotoarena/CorbisMembers of the Rhoban project's team check functions of a humanoid robot at the LaBRI workshop in Talence, France on July 7, 2014. Regis Devignau—ReutersPeople work on the software of humanoid robots during a photo opportunity at the Institute for Computer Science at the University of Bonn in Bonn, Germany on July 3, 2014. Ina Fassbender—ReutersStudents at the University of Pennsylvania work with one of their RoboCup entries known as Nao in Philadelphia on July 7, 2014.Matt Rourke—APThe first day of the RoboCup Robot Soccer Championship in João Pessoa, Brazil on July 21, 2014.Lorena Travassos—Fotoarena/CorbisA participant from the Netherlands prepares his humanoid robot for a soccer match in the international robotics competition in Tehran, Iran on April 10, 2014.Vahid Salemi—APHumanoid robots play during a soccer match while visitors follow the competition in the international robotics competition, RoboCup Iran Open 2014, in Tehran, Iran on April 10, 2014.Vahid Salemi—APTrophies won by humanoid robots at competitions are seen during a photo opportunity at the Institute for Computer Science at the University of Bonn in Bonn, Germany on July 3, 2014. Ina Fassbender—Reuters
