{"id":11462,"date":"2026-05-31T22:26:41","date_gmt":"2026-05-31T19:26:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theremin.today\/?p=11462"},"modified":"2026-05-31T22:50:52","modified_gmt":"2026-05-31T19:50:52","slug":"11462","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theremin.today\/?p=11462&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"A DUET WITH A ROBOT: How the Japanese, Americans, and Europeans taught machines to play the theremin"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">The idea of \u201cteaching\u201d robots to play music\u2014or simply to interact with it\u2014goes back many decades. The concept of \u201cmechanical\u201d music, from music boxes to orchestrions, found a natural continuation in robotics. For years, engineers and designers have demonstrated robot drummers, robot guitarists, and robot violinists. Music\u2014a subtle art that demands precision, advanced motor skills, and expressiveness\u2014has always been a challenge for engineers and a clear, compelling way to show just how advanced a robotic system can be.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Over recent years, robotics has made significant strides. We do not yet live in a world where robots have replaced humans or become part of everyday life; you do not see humanoid robots walking down the street or working in local shops. But that could change over the coming decade.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">The theremin is one of the most difficult musical instruments to play, requiring stillness and precision\u2014qualities that robots naturally excel at. It has no keys or strings, which simplifies a robot\u2019s interaction with it. As we will see from several examples, even a relatively simple device can achieve basic pitch control on a theremin. It is no surprise that this has attracted the attention of robotics companies and developers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Recently, I experimented with a robot model created in China, and it could easily replicate movements and produce sounds on a theremin. But just the other day, we witnessed one of the most advanced humanoid robots perform a duet with a human\u2014not merely producing sounds, but playing an actual melody.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">On 29 May 2026, Carolina Eyck shared a video in which she performed a duet with a robot. Together they played the famous \u201cFlower Duet\u201d from L\u00e9o Delibes\u2019 opera Lakm\u00e9 on two theremins.<\/span><br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fFxXCheKJWA?si=m_HYI7SndZrMXvVJ\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">\u201cBefore anyone starts worrying about thereminists being replaced by robots: a humanoid robot is only as precise as its motors and motion control allow\u2014and Ameca was still discovering just how demanding a theremin can be \ud83d\ude42 The final audio recording included a little editing and some re-recorded theremin passages to make the performance as pleasant as possible to listen to,\u201d writes Carolina.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">According to her, she first became acquainted with the robot Ameca in 2023. The duet with Carolina Eyck was commissioned for a smart-city exhibition and developed in collaboration with the companies Waiys and SpiNNcloud.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">\u201cWe are thrilled to present a demonstration video showcasing cutting-edge capabilities of human\u2013robot interaction in real-time AI systems. In the video, the humanoid robot Ameca joins renowned theremin performer Carolina Eyck in a musical duet, achieving precise, expressive, and highly effective interaction thanks to our hybrid AI architecture. This architecture was developed for an innovative smart-city project and integrates neuromorphic processing (Intel Loihi 2 and SpiNNaker 2) with deep learning and symbolic AI. The impressively low latency achieved in this project demonstrates what WAIYS does best: creating synergies in hybrid architectures, whether in robotics or AI assistants,\u201d according to Waiys, which published a demonstration video of the project earlier this year.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_11463\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-11463\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11463 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-31-\u0432-21.06.13-1-700x427.png\" alt=\"Carolina performs a theremin duet with a robot.\" width=\"700\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-31-\u0432-21.06.13-1-700x427.png 700w, https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-31-\u0432-21.06.13-1-300x183.png 300w, https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-31-\u0432-21.06.13-1-768x469.png 768w, https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-31-\u0432-21.06.13-1-900x550.png 900w, https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-31-\u0432-21.06.13-1.png 1248w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-11463\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Carolina performs a theremin duet with a robot.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; font-size: 18pt;\">Carolina later shared some details about the project:<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">\u201cAmeca was programmed using my system of eight finger positions, derived from my playing technique and translated into movement sequences. After calibrating the D-Lev theremin, the MIDI pitch information was mapped to the finger positions and corresponding motion sequences. Hours of training, programming and fine adjustments\u2014and Ameca was finally ready to perform.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Ameca was created by the engineers of Engineered Arts at the company\u2019s headquarters in Falmouth, Cornwall, UK. Founded in 2004 by Will Jackson, Engineered Arts originally focused on building interactive installations for museums and visitor attractions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">The idea for Ameca was conceived in February 2021, and by December of the same year the robot\u2019s first teaser video had spread across social media, attracting millions of views. Ameca made its major public debut at CES 2022 in Las Vegas. The developers deliberately gave the robot an androgynous appearance and neutral facial features, avoiding the discomfort that can sometimes accompany highly realistic humanoid designs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Since then, three generations of the robot have been released. Ameca Gen 2.6 was introduced in 2024, while the third-generation model was first presented at the ICRA 2025 conference.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Ameca is a sophisticated technological system housed within a remarkably realistic body. The robot stands 1.87 metres tall and weighs 62 kilograms. Its \u201cfacial muscles\u201d consist of 61 actuators, 27 of which are dedicated solely to facial expressions, allowing it to reproduce more than 50 realistic expressions. Two 8-megapixel cameras embedded in its eyes provide visual perception, while its audio system combines microphones located in the ears with a multichannel microphone in the chest.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">At the core of Ameca is the proprietary operating system Tritium robotOS. The latest version, Tritium 3, supports more than 55 languages, including Russian and Arabic. The robot can also analyse facial expressions and vocal cues to identify a speaker\u2019s emotional state.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Ameca regularly appears at major technology events around the world. It has been showcased at conferences such as MWC 2025 in Barcelona and featured in museums dedicated to future technologies. In 2022, it even delivered an alternative Christmas message on British television.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">We wholeheartedly congratulate Carolina Eyck on this remarkable collaboration. The theremin remains one of the most innovative musical instruments of the twenty-first century, and it is fascinating to see it intersect with the latest developments in robotics and artificial intelligence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">We have not yet reached the point where robots are precise and intelligent enough to fully master the motor skills required for advanced theremin performance. Nevertheless, this project represents an important and intriguing attempt to push beyond the current limitations of robotic technology.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">The idea that a robot might one day master the theremin\u2014an instrument played without physical contact\u2014is not as new as it may seem. Long before Ameca, researchers had already begun exploring this unusual and captivating possibility. The history of robotic thereminists now spans almost three decades and includes contributions from researchers in the United States, Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Let us take a look back at how engineers and scientists have gradually taught robots to perform on one of the world&#8217;s most unusual musical instruments.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\"><strong>\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 USA: Students, Innovation, and a Robot That Plays by Ear<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Among the first to tackle this challenge were researchers at Vanderbilt University. Their solution was both elegant and ahead of its time. In 1998, student Jason Barile and his supervisor, Professor Kazuhiko Kawamura, presented the bipedal robot <strong>ISAC,<\/strong> equipped with pneumatic artificial muscles known as rubbertuators.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">What made ISAC unique was that it did not simply memorise hand positions. Instead, it played by ear. Using specialised pitch-recognition software, the robot could listen to the note it was producing in real time, calculate the error, and immediately adjust the position of its hand. Thanks to its flexible pneumatic muscles, ISAC could even add expressive techniques such as vibrato.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">This represented a genuine breakthrough: a shift from simple mechanical reproduction towards something resembling musical hearing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\"><strong>\ud83c\uddef\ud83c\uddf5 Japan: A Musical Ensemble with a Robotic Partner<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Researchers at<strong> Kyoto University<\/strong>, led by<strong>b<\/strong> pursued an even more ambitious goal. They wanted to create not merely a robot soloist, but an ensemble musician capable of performing alongside a human partner in real time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3qEWxaDDYuw?si=Dq9n73MIUtR5721a\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Their instrument of choice was the humanoid robot<strong> HRP-2<\/strong>. The researchers equipped it with three key capabilities. First, it learned to suppress its own sound so that it would not interfere with listening to its human partner. Second, it developed a robust system for tracking musical tempo. Third, it employed compensation-based control techniques to improve pitch accuracy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">In a 2011 video featured on Synthtopia, musician Tatsuhiko Itohara plays guitar while HRP-2 performs on a theremin. Using cameras and microphones, the robot tracks both the musician\u2019s movements and the tempo of the performance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">As the researchers explained, \u201cHRP-2 can synchronise with the sound of an acoustic guitar.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/swN2_JGRqic?si=2we_j03U0ROKlEgY\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">This was far more than a technological curiosity. The project formed part of serious academic research and eventually led to a joint patent with Honda in 2014 for what the authors described as a \u201crobot thereminist.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_11466\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-11466\" style=\"width: 601px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-11466\" src=\"https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-30-\u0432-21.16.47-1-700x577.png\" alt=\"Excerpt from the US patent for a robot thereminist.\" width=\"601\" height=\"495\" srcset=\"https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-30-\u0432-21.16.47-1-700x577.png 700w, https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-30-\u0432-21.16.47-1-300x247.png 300w, https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-30-\u0432-21.16.47-1-768x633.png 768w, https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-30-\u0432-21.16.47-1-1250x1030.png 1250w, https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-30-\u0432-21.16.47-1-900x742.png 900w, https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-30-\u0432-21.16.47-1.png 1434w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 601px) 100vw, 601px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-11466\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\"><strong>Excerpt from the US patent for a robot thereminist.<\/strong><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">The key innovation was that the robot did not simply move its hands along a predetermined trajectory. Instead, it relied on audio feedback: it listened to itself, calibrated before performing, and adjusted its hand position in real time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Such adaptation is essential on the theremin, an instrument that is extremely sensitive to changes in its surroundings. Without it, the robot quickly drifts out of tune and produces unstable pitch.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\"><strong>\ud83c\udde9\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 Germany and the United Kingdom: Flexibility, Expressiveness, and Artificial Intelligence<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Researchers in Germany explored a different path\u2014one that could eventually make robotic musicians far more autonomous.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">At Dresden University of Technology, scientists developed a system capable of recognising musical notation and converting it directly into performance. Rather than programming every movement in advance, the robot could read a score and perform unfamiliar melodies on its own.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">This marked an important step away from pre-programmed demonstrations and towards genuinely intelligent musical systems.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_11473\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-11473\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11473 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-31-\u0432-21.37.05-1-700x337.png\" alt=\"Wei-Chi Chien improvises with a robot thereminist during a concert in Germany, 2016.\" width=\"700\" height=\"337\" srcset=\"https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-31-\u0432-21.37.05-1-700x337.png 700w, https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-31-\u0432-21.37.05-1-300x144.png 300w, https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-31-\u0432-21.37.05-1-768x370.png 768w, https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-31-\u0432-21.37.05-1-1250x602.png 1250w, https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-31-\u0432-21.37.05-1-900x433.png 900w, https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-31-\u0432-21.37.05-1.png 1362w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-11473\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Wei-Chi Chien improvises with a robot thereminist during a concert in Germany, 2016.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Another notable project emerged in London. Presented at the <strong>Kinetica Art Fair<\/strong> in 2010, the <strong>Robotic Theremin Ensemble<\/strong> brought together artist and musician Ray Lee with three robotic assistants to form a theremin quartet.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Using foot switches and MIDI-controlled robotic mechanisms, Lee created four-part harmonies that blended human performance with machine precision. His work combines analogue electronics with digital technologies, creating a unique musical and visual experience.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_11464\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-11464\" style=\"width: 527px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11464\" src=\"https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/theremonium-1.jpg\" alt=\"Theremonium \u2014 a robotic thereminist.\" width=\"527\" height=\"395\" srcset=\"https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/theremonium-1.jpg 400w, https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/theremonium-1-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 527px) 100vw, 527px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-11464\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\"><strong>Theremonium \u2014 a robotic thereminist.<\/strong><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Lee\u2019s insect-like mechanical constructions perform on real theremins, and his background as a musician allows him to create a compelling fusion of sound, movement, and visual art.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">That same year, researchers at <strong>Imperial College London<\/strong> unveiled an \u201canthropomorphic robot thereminist.\u201d Unlike many earlier systems, this robot used multiple degrees of freedom to imitate the movement of a human hand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">As a result, it could perform sophisticated techniques such as air fingering and, perhaps more importantly, introduce a greater degree of musical expressiveness into its performances.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\"><strong>\ud83d\udee0 DIY Movement: Robots Built from Everyday Materials<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Alongside university laboratories and large research projects, a more grassroots approach to robotic music-making also emerged.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">One of the most memorable examples was Lev, a robot built in 2007 by artist and enthusiast <strong>Ranjit Bhatnagar.<\/strong> Constructed from an old lamp, tin cans, and a collection of microprocessors, Lev demonstrated that creating a robot musician did not necessarily require a large budget. Creativity, engineering ingenuity, and a passion for music could be just as important.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">More than anything, Lev showed that the idea of a robot thereminist had captured the imagination of people far beyond academic research laboratories.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pi7GvRE-ivU?si=7x_vaEwQLTFfU8CQ\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">In the same year, British musician and engineer Sarah Angliss introduced <strong>Clara 2.0,<\/strong> a robotic doll capable of listening to a human performer and adapting its own playing in response.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">\u201cHope you enjoy watching her talents (or lack of them),\u201d Angliss joked when presenting the project.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Unfortunately, the original video documentation has since disappeared from the internet. The robot\u2019s name was a tribute to the legendary theremin virtuoso Clara Rockmore.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_11465\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-11465\" style=\"width: 515px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-11465\" src=\"https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/i-2-1.webp\" alt=\"Sarah Angliss and her robot Clara.\" width=\"515\" height=\"342\" srcset=\"https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/i-2-1.webp 480w, https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/i-2-1-300x199.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 515px) 100vw, 515px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-11465\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Sarah Angliss and her robot Clara.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\"><strong>\ud83e\udde0 A New Stage: Machine Learning<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">The next major step in the evolution of robotic thereminists came when researchers began moving away from manually programming every movement of the robot.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Instead of calculating the exact hand position required for each note, scientists at the <strong>University of Hamburg<\/strong> explored the use of reinforcement learning. Their idea was simple but powerful: give the robot a musical objective and allow it to discover for itself how to achieve the desired pitch at the required moment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">By 2020, the team had achieved significant results.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Particularly important was the study<strong> \u201cReinforcement Learning with Time-dependent Goals for Robotic Musicians,\u201d<\/strong> which introduced the concept of time-dependent goals. This approach enabled a robot to learn complete melodies rather than isolated notes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Unlike traditional control systems, reinforcement learning opens the possibility of further self-improvement, adaptation to new instruments, and even limited forms of musical improvisation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">The system used two robotic manipulators positioned near the theremin\u2019s antennas. Their movements generated the musical performance, while sophisticated signal-processing algorithms translated information from a musical score into physical actions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jvC9mPzdQN4?si=TxuOs1lMe-G00lpe\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">The project was carried out under the supervision of <strong>Professor Christina Kelber,<\/strong> whose group focused on the challenging task of converting visual musical information into accurate and expressive movement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Looking back at nearly three decades of experiments, it becomes clear that researchers around the world have repeatedly turned to the theremin as a unique testing ground for robotic intelligence and motor control.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">The instrument presents an unusual challenge. Unlike a piano, violin, or guitar, it offers no physical points of reference. Every note must be located in empty space, requiring constant feedback, precision, and adaptation. In many ways, the theremin forces robots to confront some of the same challenges faced by human performers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">From university laboratories in the United States and Japan to art installations in Britain and machine-learning experiments in Germany, each project has explored a different aspect of what it means for a machine to become a musician.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">Today, robots are still far from matching the sensitivity, flexibility, and artistic intuition of a skilled thereminist. Yet the progress made over the past three decades is remarkable. What once seemed like a curious experiment has gradually evolved into a serious field of research at the intersection of robotics, artificial intelligence, and music.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"isSelectedEnd\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">And who knows? Perhaps one day we will see a robot on stage creating genuine art\u2014not merely reproducing notes, but performing with expression, imagination, and individuality.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;\">If that day comes, the theremin may well be one of the instruments that helped make it possible.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_11475\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-11475\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-11475\" src=\"https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-31-\u0432-22.44.44-700x431.png\" alt=\"iCub playing the Theremin\" width=\"700\" height=\"431\" srcset=\"https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-31-\u0432-22.44.44-700x431.png 700w, https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-31-\u0432-22.44.44-300x185.png 300w, https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-31-\u0432-22.44.44-768x473.png 768w, https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-31-\u0432-22.44.44-1250x770.png 1250w, https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-31-\u0432-22.44.44-900x555.png 900w, https:\/\/theremin.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2026-05-31-\u0432-22.44.44.png 1428w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-11475\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">iCub playing the Theremin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The idea of \u201cteaching\u201d robots to play music\u2014or simply to interact with it\u2014goes back many decades. The concept of \u201cmechanical\u201d music, from music boxes to orchestrions, found a natural continuation in robotics. For years, engineers and designers have demonstrated robot&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11467,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[273],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11462","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-publications-en","wpcat-273-id"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theremin.today\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11462","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theremin.today\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theremin.today\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theremin.today\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theremin.today\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11462"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/theremin.today\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11462\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11477,"href":"https:\/\/theremin.today\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11462\/revisions\/11477"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theremin.today\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/11467"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theremin.today\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11462"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theremin.today\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11462"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theremin.today\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11462"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}