Toyota Robot

[Manfred M]

We spent some time at the Toyota Motor Corporation headquarters today and met this violin playing Toyota robot.

[Mike Buckley]

Cool photo but the position of the robot's left hand is way off. Was it playing recorded music?

[Manfred M]

Mike - it had been programmed to play three different pieces. Both of the times I was there while it played a transcription of Elgar's Pomp & Circumstance March #1.

[Mike Buckley]

Do the left hand and fingers move up and down the fingerboard or do they stay stationary?

[Manfred M]

If your question is "does the robot play the violin the same way as a human does?", then the answer is clearly no. No, the fingers do not move during playing.

While I could not get close enough to the robot / violin, I do see that the "hand" extends over most of the neck of the violin. That suggests to me that there are mechanical actuators underneath the hand and they apply pressure to appropriate parts of the strings. We could clearly see the bow stroking different strings while the robot was playing.

Quality of the music was also far below the level that a professional musician would achieve.

[Mike Buckley]

Fascinating! Thanks for the explanation!

[pnodrog]

Cool photo but the position of the robot's left hand is way off. Was it playing recorded music?

Mike you are absolutely correct. My violin teacher (nearly 60 years ago) would have told me off if either of my wrists or left elbow were in the position the robot has them... Human 3 Robot 0 .....

[IzzieK]

Very interesting shot...and one of the many Toyota creation. I and probably most anyone will think of vehicle when it comes to hearing or reading the Toyota brand, but not robot playing violin. Have you been to any of their assembly plant yet?

[Manfred M]

Have you been to any of their assembly plant yet?

Yes, we toured the assembly line and welding lines at the Motomachi Toyota Plant. Unsurprisingly, no cameras allowed.