Compressorhead: The Robot Band and Its Transmedia Storyworld

Davies, Alex; Crosby, Alexandra

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-42945-8_14

Cited by 13 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Over the past few decades several robotic “bands” have emerged, including the rock bands The Trons, Captured! By Robots and Compressorhead , as well as a collaboration between Z-Machines 7 and Squarepusher on the 2014 album “Music for Robots.” ( Snake-Beings, 2017 ; Gallagher, 2017 ; Davies and Crosby, 2016 ; Squarepusher x Z-Machines, 2014 ). MOJA features a drummer, harpist, and flutist performing in a style evocative of traditional Chinese music.…”

Section: Different Approaches To Musical Roboticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Locating Creativity in Differing Approaches to Musical Robotics

Kemper

2021

Front. Robot. AI

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The field of musical robotics presents an interesting case study of the intersection between creativity and robotics. While the potential for machines to express creativity represents an important issue in the field of robotics and AI, this subject is especially relevant in the case of machines that replicate human activities that are traditionally associated with creativity, such as music making. There are several different approaches that fall under the broad category of musical robotics, and creativity is expressed differently based on the design and goals of each approach. By exploring elements of anthropomorphic form, capacity for sonic nuance, control, and musical output, this article evaluates the locus of creativity in six of the most prominent approaches to musical robots, including: 1) nonspecialized anthropomorphic robots that can play musical instruments, 2) specialized anthropomorphic robots that model the physical actions of human musicians, 3) semi-anthropomorphic robotic musicians, 4) non-anthropomorphic robotic instruments, 5) cooperative musical robots, and 6) individual actuators used for their own sound production capabilities.

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Section: Different Approaches To Musical Roboticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Locating Creativity in Differing Approaches to Musical Robotics

Kemper

2021

Front. Robot. AI

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“…Using a similar configuration, PAM (Polytangent Automatic Multimonochord), uses perpendicular fingers to apply pressure to the string [8]. Finally, this type of pitch shifter has been incorporated into the humanoid robots that integrate the robot bands known as Compressorhead and Z-Machines, using pneumatic tubes or fingers instead of solenoids [9].…”

Section: B Pitch Shifting Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Designing Mechatronic Musical Instruments: The Guitar

2020

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Since the earliest times, humans have sought the ability to produce rhythms and tones using devices external to the human body. As technology developed, so too did the desire for this sound production to become automated. Initially peaking around the Industrial Revolution, traditional automated musical production devices went into a steep decline with the arrival of the phonograph. However, factors such as the ubiquitous acceptance of the microcontroller led to a resurgent interest in this field. This paper investigates the design considerations and development of the stringed chordophone and specifically the guitar. The challenge is to produce a mechatronic device capable of speedy and reliable note selection, string actuation, string damping and expressiveness. In the same manner that there is not one best way to play a guitar and no best guitar design, so too is there no ''best'' chordophone design. Rather, the competing factors of speed, precision, reliability, portability, expressiveness and timbral variation can be given different weightings and result in different designs. Therefore, rather than presenting a single chordophone development, this paper provides a multitude of design options providing an interested reader with the background and suggestions to create their own bespoke design. This paper concludes with the presentation of the authors' final design as an integration of the presented ideas and design techniques. We demonstrate that this chordophone introduces expressivity at a level not achieved before, is modular yet portable, is mechanically quiet and can play at a speed beyond that of even the best human player. INDEX TERMS Automated music production, mechatronic chordophone, mechatronic music.

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“…Compressorhead is a project by Berlin artist Frank Barnes and employees of Markus Kolb and Stock Plum, consisting of a "group" of robots that play real electrical and acoustic instruments. The robots are made from recycled parts and are controlled via a MIDI sequencer [2]. Various projects also appear in the field of equipment for public or home bars: Barobot [3], Smartender [4], and the Wine Blending Bartender [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design of a Smart Bartender with Peristaltic Pumps

et al. 2019

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In this paper, the development of a smart scalable system for liquid supply based on high-precision peristaltic pumps is described. The architecture of software and hardware for the proposed system is considered. This liquid supply system can be used for mixed and layered cocktail preparation in public catering establishments, such as bars, as well as for home use. Due to the flexibility and scalability of the system, it is possible to apply it in various branches of human activity, where fine dosing of liquids is required, e.g., for beverage mixing, cooking, health and medical applications. By using open architecture and software, this system can be built in a smart home environment. The cross-platform control software and an embedded Bluetooth module allow using the developed setup in various use case scenarios. The result of the project is a DIY-kit, capable of mixing 6 to 32 different liquids in specified proportions and the programmable sequence.

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Compressorhead: The Robot Band and Its Transmedia Storyworld

Cited by 13 publications

References 17 publications

Locating Creativity in Differing Approaches to Musical Robotics

Locating Creativity in Differing Approaches to Musical Robotics

Designing Mechatronic Musical Instruments: The Guitar

Design of a Smart Bartender with Peristaltic Pumps

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