This robot can conduct an orchestra
This is really cool

Robots are invading the symphony hall, said Kevin Ryan at Inc. YuMi, a two-armed robot built by Swiss robotics company ABB, recently conducted a performance of the Lucca Philharmonic Orchestra in Pisa, Italy. The 84-pound bot learns tasks by recording and mimicking them, "without any coding" required. It has wrists, elbows, and shoulders, giving its movements fluidity similar to a human being's. Italian conductor Andrea Colombini taught YuMi the songs for the performance, including "La Donna è Mobile" from Verdi's Rigoletto.
Unlike its human counterpart, however, the robot can't respond to how the orchestra is playing, so "a cellist who misses a note won't get a stern look." As a result, Colombini isn't too worried about his job security just yet. "The robot uses its arms," he said. "But the soul, the spirit, always come from a human."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
October 9 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Thursday’s political cartoons include common political ground over the Epstein files, a new pledge for ICE agents, Bad Bunny, and more
-
Five policies from the Tory conference
In Depth Party leader Kemi Badenoch has laid out the Conservative plan for a potential future government
-
A House of Dynamite: a ‘nail-biting’ nuclear-strike thriller
The Week Recommends ‘Virtuoso talent’ Kathryn Bigelow directs a ‘fast-paced’ and ‘tense’ ‘symphony of dread’