Classical musicians could have good reason to be worried as scientists have developed a musical robot that makes no mistakes.
Waseda University’s robotic flautist can play the challenging musical score of the ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’ almost flawlessly.
And the robot has been designed with a human-like quality that allows it to engage with the audience, making in a contender for concert performances.
The Waseda Flutist No. 4 Refined IV was unveiled at the BioRob 2008 conference in Arizona two weeks ago.
Thanks to a series of technical advances, the latest version makes smoother transitions between notes than the original model built in 2003.
The robot’s mouth and lungs have been carefully designed to mimic the expert air control of a professional flautist.
The scientists created artificial lips with the elasticity of human lips and embedded pins, which control their shape.
The robot’s tongue has been redesigned to enable the double-tonguing technique – the high-speed playing used throughout the famous ‘Flight of the Bumblee’.
It even has an in-built mechanism to create vibrato, which can take human players years to master, that changes the amplitude and frequency of the robot’s airflow.
The lungs are composed of two air-tight acrylic cases, with a bellow that allows them to breathe in and out.
And the robot's eyes have two cameras that allow it to interact with the audience and other musicians, so we could soon see it playing duets with people.
Research on the musical robot began in 1990, with the aim that it would eventually rival human musicians.
But the WF-4RIV is more than just a gimmick. The makers hope to make it sophisticated enough to achieve better human-computer interaction and then teach music to pupils.
The flawless flautist: The musical robot that plays Flight Of The Bumblebee perfectly
Fetch Fido! The robotic dog that could revolutionise the military
A robot dog that runs, climbs rough terrain and carries heavy loads has become an internet sensation after video footage attracted millions of viewers.
BigDog was created by engineering company Boston Dynamics for the American military.
The robot, which is the size of a large dog, is powered by a gasoline engine that drives its hydraulic system.
In trials the intrepid hound was able to run at 4 mph, climb slopes up to 35 degrees steep and walk across rubble while carrying a 340lb load.
The robotic rover has legs that move like an animal's and can absorb shock by repositioning its three joints up to 500 times a second .
During a demonstration video, which was viewed by more than 6m people on YouTube, it managed to keep its footing on an uneven surface after being shoved sideways.
BigDog has an on-board computer that helps it to balance, steer and navigate as conditions vary. Other sensors focus on the internal state of the robot, monitoring the hydraulic pressure, oil temperature, engine temperature and battery charge.
Current models are remote-controlled from bases, however it is believed scientists are working on sight sensors that will allow BigDog to make basic movement decisions.
The project was sponsored by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which comes up with radical inventions for the military.
Watch BigDog in action here...
School robots divide experts over teaching of phonics
"Wow," says Charlie, five, when he first sees Red the Robot.
"He doesn't look like a robot," says his best friend, Roxy, also five. "Robots aren't usually that ugly."
The two children from London's East End are learning to read using phonics at school. They sound out the letters using perfect phonetic pronunciation and seem confident using Red's scanner on the pages of the book to identify the right letters and short words.
Four-year-olds love a cuddly toy - especially one that can speak, has flashing lights and is allowed in class. Red the Robot is all those things, but he won't play Power Rangers. Instead, he wants to sit down to some good, old-fashioned phonics.
An army of Red the Robots is being deployed in schools and nurseries to help pupils as young as three learn to read. The 40cm-high toy can read stories and quiz pupils on their ABCs. Its manufacturer says it captures the imagination of children put off by traditional classes at a time when the government is desperately worried about children's literacy skills.
But it has been labelled a gimmick by opponents of phonics, the well-established but sometimes controversial method of teaching reading whereby children learn each sound then go on to decipher whole words. Red - rapid educational development - costs £130, inclusive of reading material. About 200 have been bought by schools and three local authorities have signed up to distribute them through primaries.
Academics at the Institute of Education who undertook an evaluation in three schools concluded that the robot "makes learning fun" where used appropriately. Children seemed to love it but teachers were "less inclined" to allow the robot to take the whole class. Dylan Wiliam, acting head of the institute, says: "The research on the use of such technology shows that when it is well-designed it can actually be better than teaching even by the best teachers."
Its manufacturer, Headstart, the educational wing of the toy company Impact International, says it could become an important aid to improving reading and writing. Representatives have had meetings with the Qualification and Curriculum Authority in an attempt to win the government's backing.
But some child experts expressed concern. Sue Palmer, author of Toxic Childhood, said: "Robots can't teach. The only effective teaching is by breathing, living teachers who can look a pupil in the eye and respond to them."
It comes amid a battle over the inclusion of phonics in new targets for nurseries and childminders. From September all early years providers will have to show that children are reaching 69 separate goals by the time they start school at the age of four or five.
One says they must be able to "use phonic knowledge to write simple words and make phonetically plausible attempts at more complex words". The children's authors Philip Pullman and Michael Morpurgo have joined dozens of academics to oppose the reforms.
Margaret Edgington, of the OpenEye campaign, set up to oppose the government's proposals, said: "Of course children might take to it but that does not necessarily mean it's good for them. Three-year-olds should not be doing phonics. They should do what's normal in nurseries: singing, rhyming and playing."
But Red is having a bad day. Sometimes he forgets which book he's reading. Sometimes his mind drifts and he goes quiet in the middle of one of the exercises, which are designed to be perfectly in tune with what Charlie and Roxy are learning at school.
Usually there would be a teacher or assistant to sort the problems out but we all look at the robot a bit disappointedly.
"I'm bored," declares Charlie.
What's good about Red? "He's red," says Roxy.
What's bad about Red? "He doesn't work," says Charlie.
Who's better, the robot or your teacher? "The robot," says Charlie.
Charlie and Roxy settle in to playing "teachers" with the robot and an assortment of cuddly toys. Ten minutes later Red the Robot is happily teaching penguins to cross a road safely.
WowWee Tri-Bot in Action (Video)
Here is the accompanying written review, which contains secret tips and tricks for getting the most out of your Tri-Bot robot that are not covered in the video, along with a comprehensive breakdown of the Tri-Bot’s features and what it’s like to play with him.
Futurama Bender Webcam
This is a custom-made one of a kind Bender Webcam. I removed all the gears and mechanics from and officially licensed Matt Groening and Rocket USA tin robot toy and replaced them with a Creative Live! webcam.
The arms and legs no longer move but Bender is completely free standing and if it was not for the USB cable coming from the former key slot you’d never know that he had a camera behind his chest door. Turning his antenna rotates Bender’s mouth and cigar allowing for two facial expressions.
The Futurama Bender Webcam is now on auction over at eBay.
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