Robot ASIMO Leads Detroit Symphony
Honda Helps Support and Promote Music Education
Honda's robot ASIMO conducts the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in an initiative to promote fun and innovative music education among Detroit's youth.
Motown had better watch out. First Honda challenged the motor industry with its fuel-efficient, economy cars. Now Honda is making conductors for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as well.
Perhaps the day when orchestras are directed entirely by robots is still science fiction, but on May 14, 2008, the future had arrived for a group of 250 school children. The youthful audience got to see a Honda-made robot conduct the Detroit Symphony Orchestra at a special 10:45 am concert. The 4-foot, 3-inch-tall robot is called ASIMO or Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility, and it represents the possibilities of robot technology.
Champions of Music Education: Yo-Yo Ma, Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Honda
The mini-concert was part of a Honda-sponsored event for children from several Detroit schools (as well as from nearby Windsor, Ontario) and featured ASIMO's debut performnce of "The Impossible Dream" from "Man of La Mancha" in what is probably history's first robot-directed live performance. Following the robot's performance was Yo-Yo Ma, who taught a master class after shaking hands with ASIMO.
The robot showcases Honda's recent $1 million gift to the DSO in support of music education. The gift will support the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's The Power of Dreams String Project, an initiative which will bring string lessons and music education to metro-Detroit communities. Honda already uses ASIMO to generate interest in math and science and now the short, white mascot serves to attract kids to music. The mascot seems to be working: ASIMO amazed musicians with its fluidity and entertained audience members by kicking a soccer ball.
The Future of Conducting Technology?
So how soon until the world's Karajans and Levines are made of plastic? The robot, while programmed to imitate the gestures of a conductor, could not respond to or correct an orchestra's slip-ups. Whereas a human conductor can catch an orchestra lagging behind the beat and adjust his or her motions to get the musicians back on track. The robot, however, is pre-programmed to a set tempo: if the orchestra gets behind, it must do its own catching up.
Also, conducting orchestras isn't the robot's main purpose. Honda is developing ASIMO to assist the elderly or guide children across crosswalks.
Sources
Durbin, Dee-Ann. "Detroit Symphony Hopes Robot Conductor Will Fire Up Students." May 14, 2008. MLive.com News.
Durbin, Dee-Ann. "Honda Robot Conducts Detroit Symphony." May 14, 2008. MSNBC News.
"Honda's ASIMO Robot to Conduct the Detroit Symphony Orchestra." Detroit Symphony Press Release.
