Robot Tyco Drummer?

[dbeckwith]

I recently had a challenge proposed by a friend in our school's tyco drumming club: a tyco robot! Any ideas or examples?
I was intrigued by how controlled and quick the arms (assuming it was a slightly humanoid robot) would have to be, and the mechanism for holding the sticks would be complicated as well. It would have to be able to hold the sticks somewhat loosely I think in order to drum properly.
As for programming, I think it would be cool to just be able to input drum beats and have it play them!

You gotta think a little outside the humanoid thing. Maybe instead of arms, it has a few pneumatic cylinders over the drums that extend and retract to hit the drum and play it. Not only would it be fast, but you'll get a pretty repeatable sound each time, and it's much simpler than any arm you'd need to build.

[dbeckwith]

Originally Posted by SuperNerd256

You gotta think a little outside the humanoid thing. Maybe instead of arms, it has a few pneumatic cylinders over the drums that extend and retract to hit the drum and play it. Not only would it be fast, but you'll get a pretty repeatable sound each time, and it's much simpler than any arm you'd need to build.

That would be simpler certainly, but I was thinking it would be cooler to have a humanoid one, not to mention more of a challenge.

Originally Posted by dbeckwith

That would be simpler certainly, but I was thinking it would be cooler to have a humanoid one, not to mention more of a challenge.

True, but then you have to deal with encoders, more sensors, and more variables. A suggestion of mine is to look at Team Titanium's Guitar Hero Robot, and see how it used pneumatics to play guitar hero, but still looks like a human.

[dbeckwith]

WOW! That's an awesome robot!

A taiko drummer robot would be pretty cool. Will it have to play alongside humans and in time?

[dbeckwith]

Originally Posted by ThaineP

A taiko drummer robot would be pretty cool. Will it have to play alongside humans and in time?

I didn't intend for that, but that could be an added functionality. It could "listen" to the other drummers and attempt to keep the same tempo!

[jason701802]

I would recommend using moving the drum sticks in the same manner as the 'fingers' on the Guitar Hero 'bot. I don't think you'll need a flexible mount (as long as you properly tune the maximum position of the drumstick), but you could use some sort of rubber mount for the drumstick(s) to get some flex.

Originally Posted by SuperNerd256

True, but then you have to deal with encoders, more sensors, and more variables. A suggestion of mine is to look at Team Titanium's Guitar Hero Robot, and see how it used pneumatics to play guitar hero, but still looks like a human.

It doesn't look to me like it uses pneumatics to me, I see electromagnetic solenoids.