Assembling a mechanical symphony ensemble
Robotic Orchestra Makes Debut at Euro Science Open Forum
A unique and innovative robotic orchestra, created by hundreds of people in the North West, is set to tour the country following its debut at the Euro Science Open Forum (ESOF) 2016 in Manchester, designated as the European City of Science.
The orchestra, a Citizen Science project, reuses discarded machines and technology, featuring electronic brains playing real instruments like violins, glockenspiels, and xylophones, as well as redundant technology like floppy disk drives and old desk fans.
The project, led by Professor Danielle George MBE from the University of Manchester, is a more ambitious version of a pilot version assembled for the 2014 Royal Institution Christmas Lecture. The first rehearsal for the orchestra took place on June 24, 2016.
At a Hack Day supported by partner organisations such as Apple, The Hive, Noisy Toys, and FabLab, over 200 primary and secondary school children built music-making robots. Siemens presented at the Hack Day about the engineering behind the robot conductor, named 'Graphene'.
Steve Pickett, Education Director at the Hallé, has composed a special piece of music for the orchestra launch and will provide eight professional musicians to perform live alongside the robots. The Hallé Orchestra is working closely with the robotic orchestra project.
The robot conductor 'Graphene' is a good conductor, as its name suggests. It is built by Siemens and will lead the orchestra in its grand performance at the opening ceremony of the Euro Science Open Forum on July 24, 2016.
The project aims to showcase everyone's work, from children to older individuals, and celebrate failures as opportunities for skill development. It encourages people to think about using their engineering skills to solve global challenges.
The UK Robotics Week, currently underway (from 25 June), coincides with the robotic orchestra's tour, with the support of the Royal Academy of Engineering, across the country. The orchestra will tour various cities, promoting the fusion of art and technology, and inspiring future generations to explore the possibilities of engineering.
The robotic orchestra, consisting of instruments played by artificial-intelligence-powered machines, showcases a unique blend of technology and entertainment following its debut at the Euro Science Open Forum. The robot conductor, named 'Graphene', leads this innovative ensemble, demonstrating how artificial-intelligence can be used in music creation.
