Four of Drexel's HUBO robots performed "Come Together" by The Beatles in a demonstration that combined cutting-edge engineering technology and research with creative expression, produced by the Music & Entertainment Technology Laboratory (MET-lab). The HUBOs operated autonomously (not human-controlled). Their movements were directed by student-developed software to perform the gestures necessary to produce the appropriate notes and beats as dictated by a musical score. Every sound in the video was performed by the robots.
MET-lab student Matthew Prockup created the musical arrangement for drum kit and three "Hubophones," novel percussion instruments designed and constructed by the lab for this performance. Dr. Youngmoo Kim, associate director of electrical and computer engineering and assistant dean of media technologies, serves as director of the MET-lab.
HUBO was designed and developed by the Korea Advanced Institute of Technology (KAIST) Hubo Lab (Dr. Jun Ho Oh, Director). Drexel Engineering kicked-off National Engineers Week by unveiling seven HUBO humanoids at an unprecedented showcase event on February 20, 2012. Their presence at Drexel is part of a large collaborative project with KAIST and seven other U.S. universities with the goal of rapidly advancing humanoids research.
For more information, visit the College of Engineering website.