Not only does the GuitarBot project show off some great design, but the care given to the documentation and directions is wonderful to see. The GuitarBot is an initiative by three University of Delaware professors, [Dustyn Roberts], [Troy Richards], and [Ashley Pigford] to introduce their students to ‘Artgineering’, a beautiful portmanteau of ‘art’ and ‘engineering’.
The GuitarBot It is designed and documented in a way that the three major elements are compartmentalized: the strummer, the brains, and the chord mechanism are all independent modules wrapped up in a single device. Anyone is, of course, free to build the whole thing, but a lot of work has been done to ease the collaboration of smaller, team-based groups that can work on and bring together individual elements.
Some aspects of the GuitarBot are still works in progress, such as the solenoid-activated chord assembly. But everything else is ready to go with Bills of Materials and build directions. An early video of a strumming test proof of concept used on a ukelele is embedded below.
GuitarBot would fit right in to a band where only the instruments operate unplugged. Speaking of robot bands, don’t forget the LEGO-enabled Toa Mata, or the fully robotic group Compressorhead.
Reminds me of Animusic.
http://animusic.com/
That was the first thing that came to mind for me too.
I don’t see a way for the pick to skip strings in the middle – that would let it play lead as well as rhythm.
…or Compressorhead
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RBSkq-_St8
Haha! Awesome! They do live concerts, too!
What’s the little guy standing under one of the cymbals do? (c:
How do they control the dynamics?
And how about the self noise of the contraption?
Maybe in the next attempt hammers could be used to strike each string and for muting purposes. Speed of the strike could fluctuate the volume level and allow for lead and rhythm with more musicality. The strumming unit could still be kept in place for strict strumming applications.
This might be a STEAM is better than STEM example – or Not? What do you think HaD Peeps?
I think you shouldn’t attempt such an obvious troll on Hackaday.
Given the history, STEAM vs. STEM is a Legitimate debate here IMO – Not Trolling… But thanks for the reply anyway.
Except for with four strings it was not a guitar and it was stupid. Outside of that it was really cool.