The humanoid drummer robot, the first of its kind, has left the world in awe as it achieves not only 90 percent rhythmic accuracy but also plays intricate drum patterns with astonishing timing and expression similar to human performers.
Researchers have recently introduced a Robot Drummer that can play the drummer with unprecedented accuracy driven by the learning algorithm.
The humanoid robot has also acquired human-like behaviours, including the gestures and movements demonstrated by humans.
“The idea for Robot Drummer actually stemmed from a spontaneous conversation with co-author Loris Roveda over coffee,” said Asad Ali, the first author of the study.
He continued: “While discussing the increasing utility of humanoid robots in daily tasks, the fascinating idea of the drummer bot came to our minds. That raised a question: what if a humanoid robot could take on a creative role like performing music? Drumming seemed like a perfect frontier as it is rhythmic, physical and demands rapid coordination across limbs.”
The system was created by Unitree and tested successfully in simulation using a G1 humanoid robot.
Over time, the robot developed human-like movements including stick switching, cross-arm hits, and movement optimization over various music genres ranging from jazz to metals.
The tracks include In the End by Linkin Park, Take Five by Dave Brubeck, and Living on a Prayer by Bon Jovi. The robot played all the tracks laden with complex rhythmic structures with top-notch precision.
This study could inspire the other researchers to develop the humanoid robots for more creative roles.
