In a groundbreaking event, an android robot has taken the stage to conduct the orchestra in Seoul. The debutant managed to wow the audience with a flawless performance in place of a human maestro.
The two-armed android robot, EveR 6, designed by the Korean Institute of Industrial Technology, first appeared at the National Theater of Korea, leading musicians in the country’s national orchestra. The robot, with a humanoid face, first bowed to the audience and started waving its arms to control the tempo of the live show. It showcased impressive precision in conducting, but could not listen, which is considered a critical weakness in this role, said Choi Soo-Seoul, who conducted alongside EveR 6. “Movements by a conductor are very detailed,” Choi told Reuters. “But a conductor also needs to be able to listen.”
For the concert, EveR 6 was programmed with motion capture technology that digitally records the trajectory of a human’s movements. Then, using this data, the robot can replicate them precisely in real-time. Moreover, the robot can record the baton’s movement speed and catch up instantly.
But despite this, the machine’s ability to communicate with the orchestra in real time was limited. Audience members pointed out that the robot lacked that intangible quality of “breath” necessary for collective engagement. They suggested that EveR 6 could improve its performance by equipping it with artificial intelligence for music analysis and comprehension, enabling it to listen and improvise independently.
The Korea Institute of Industrial Technology has been working on the project for a year and believes it can eventually replace a human conductor in some cases. But the company admits that developing a robot capable of understanding and interpreting complex musical patterns, such as a composer’s intention, will take a long time.
Nevertheless, EveR 6 is the latest example of a rising trend: deploying robots to perform in fields that humans traditionally dominate. Robots have already conducted musical performances in Japan and Switzerland. And with the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding between Korea and Vietnam (See: Vietnam Wants to Make It Big With Korean Foreign Investment), this ASEAN country is stepping up its robotics and automation technology game.
While much of the world’s attention is focused on China and Japan’s bold moves into ASEAN, quietly under-the-radar Korea has been making innovative, decisively bold moves toward this region for three years. And this high-tech initiative will undoubtedly help the country further cement its position as a global leader in this field. The future of robotics in ASEAN looks bright indeed. This article is adapted from an original piece by Lee Young-ju, published in the Korea Times. It has been edited for clarity and length. For more news from across the region, click here.
