Comments on: robot drummer has plenty of rhythm http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/ cool gadgets, games, gizmos and weird science Sat, 05 Jul 2008 02:48:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: user http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-7569 user Fri, 04 Jul 2008 19:52:03 +0000 http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-7569 It has to be entirely controlled. Including the drumming just shot to look real. Scientists have tried to make robots capable of moving around the environment but takes forever to just take pictures and compile the info to just move a little then has to repeat the process. It has to be entirely controlled. Including the drumming just shot to look real. Scientists have tried to make robots capable of moving around the environment but takes forever to just take pictures and compile the info to just move a little then has to repeat the process.

]]> By: Drums http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-7200 Drums Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:23:38 +0000 http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-7200 Too funny. The next member of Stomp! Should be painted blue and sold to The Blue Man group. Too funny. The next member of Stomp! Should be painted blue and sold to The Blue Man group.

]]> By: user http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-5884 user Tue, 20 May 2008 05:38:31 +0000 http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-5884 That's some pretty crazy stuff. I'm most curious, however, about how the robot "finds the sound to be pleasing" and how he composes his little tunes. Is this built into the sound recorder, or is it custom code? That’s some pretty crazy stuff. I’m most curious, however, about how the robot “finds the sound to be pleasing” and how he composes his little tunes.

Is this built into the sound recorder, or is it custom code?

]]> By: MyaloMark http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-5288 MyaloMark Sat, 03 May 2008 01:28:20 +0000 http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-5288 Regarding your request for anyone who might be interested in mass-producing these: I worked for Hasbro for a few years and was amazed at the unworkable condition of many of the inventor-submissions that came our way. Your robot works from the get-go, which is a real plus. It is quite expensive though. The toy industry's list of priorities begins with product safety foremost, but cost follows as a close second. If the profit margin is too slim, your toy will never be produced. If you really want to sell your idea, get yourself a lawyer who has worked with product introduction before. If your idea is good enough, he should work on spec. He'll be getting a big chunk of the money when you get paid, but he'll also keep you from getting robbed. If you do go ahead with seling your robot to Hasbro, or any other toy company, don't expect to see your toy on the shelves really soon. When it does (if ever-toy companies aren't beyond buying a toy just to bury it so the competition doesn't get their hands on it) get produced it will be cheaply made, with far fewer extras than your model. Cost is everything, as I said. If you get turned down by the big boys, just remember that there are quite a few small toy concerns out there who can actively compete with the Mattells and Hasbros of the world simply because they don't have the same overhead as the biggies. In my time in the industry, I saw winners and losers. I would give your little robot an 80 - 85% chance of success as is. Good luck, and remember that opportunity only knocks once. Regarding your request for anyone who might be interested in mass-producing these:
I worked for Hasbro for a few years and was amazed at the unworkable condition of many of the inventor-submissions that came our way.
Your robot works from the get-go, which is a real plus.
It is quite expensive though. The toy industry’s list of priorities begins with product safety foremost, but cost follows as a close second. If the profit margin is too slim, your toy will never be produced.
If you really want to sell your idea, get yourself a lawyer who has worked with product introduction before. If your idea is good enough, he should work on spec. He’ll be getting a big chunk of the money when you get paid, but he’ll also keep you from getting robbed.
If you do go ahead with seling your robot to Hasbro, or any other toy company, don’t expect to see your toy on the shelves really soon. When it does (if ever-toy companies aren’t beyond buying a toy just to bury it so the competition doesn’t get their hands on it) get produced it will be cheaply made, with far fewer extras than your model. Cost is everything, as I said.
If you get turned down by the big boys, just remember that there are quite a few small toy concerns out there who can actively compete with the Mattells and Hasbros of the world simply because they don’t have the same overhead as the biggies.
In my time in the industry, I saw winners and losers. I would give your little robot an 80 - 85% chance of success as is. Good luck, and remember that opportunity only knocks once.

]]> By: Dave http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-5287 Dave Fri, 02 May 2008 21:54:48 +0000 http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-5287 At human scale this is pretty cool. If you were a kitten it would be a horrible, mocking bully; beating you while making festive music from your sampled laments! ;) At human scale this is pretty cool. If you were a kitten it would be a horrible, mocking bully; beating you while making festive music from your sampled laments! ;)

]]> By: robin http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-5286 robin Fri, 02 May 2008 21:45:41 +0000 http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-5286 if you look up the word "awesome" in a dictionary, this is what you find. if you look up the word “awesome” in a dictionary, this is what you find.

]]> By: Robot http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-5285 Robot Fri, 02 May 2008 21:44:35 +0000 http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-5285 "As the ‘bot drives around, he avoids obstacles until..." really? looks like he runs right into them “As the ‘bot drives around, he avoids obstacles until…”

really? looks like he runs right into them

]]> By: peter http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-5284 peter Fri, 02 May 2008 21:11:10 +0000 http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-5284 Excellent work. Any chance of putting the plans online? Excellent work. Any chance of putting the plans online?

]]> By: SirStick http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-5057 SirStick Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:54:01 +0000 http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-5057 Thats really cool, and amazingly inventive! Now it just needs to be able to be able to smile when its finished! Thats really cool, and amazingly inventive! Now it just needs to be able to be able to smile when its finished!

]]> By: Eliezer http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-4404 Eliezer Wed, 09 Apr 2008 23:55:57 +0000 http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-4404 Wow... really impressive... how'd you come up with this, this is genius! I Stumbled here and I'm glad I did. Wow… really impressive… how’d you come up with this, this is genius! I Stumbled here and I’m glad I did.

]]> By: colin http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-4383 colin Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:41:46 +0000 http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-4383 This thing is really awesome. Absolutely made my day seeing it, lol This thing is really awesome. Absolutely made my day seeing it, lol

]]> By: Rebekah http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-4368 Rebekah Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:04:57 +0000 http://technabob.com/blog/2008/03/22/robot-drummer-has-got-rhythm/#comment-4368 This is just adorable. I like its "eyes" that even move rhythmically. Really clever. I can imagine that if you knew the basics this wouldn't be a phd-level project either. Imagine if Honda or another top robotics company got working on something based around this.... People say robots cant be creative. Everyone knows that a drum track from a computer, digital drum pad or keyboard etc is never as good as a real life drummer in the flesh. But this combines creativity. Taking inspiration from things it picks up around itself. It can make music it hasn't already got programmed into it, which would be unique to whichever environment it is in! This is just great! Well done fritsl, its things like this that keep me Stumbling!! (even the way it has to be pushed in the right direction now and then gives it character :D like a puppy or a toddler!) This is just adorable. I like its “eyes” that even move rhythmically. Really clever. I can imagine that if you knew the basics this wouldn’t be a phd-level project either. Imagine if Honda or another top robotics company got working on something based around this….

People say robots cant be creative. Everyone knows that a drum track from a computer, digital drum pad or keyboard etc is never as good as a real life drummer in the flesh.

But this combines creativity. Taking inspiration from things it picks up around itself. It can make music it hasn’t already got programmed into it, which would be unique to whichever environment it is in!

This is just great! Well done fritsl, its things like this that keep me Stumbling!! (even the way it has to be pushed in the right direction now and then gives it character :D like a puppy or a toddler!)

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