A team of engineers from Sony Computer Science Laboratories Inc. and the NeuroPiano Institute in Kyoto has developed a robotic exoskeleton that helps pianists improve their playing technique. The exoskeleton, worn on the hand, guides the musician's finger movements during training, which helps to develop speed and accuracy. The findings were published in Science Robotics.
The device is worn on the back of the hand and attached to the fingers, allowing it to gently guide them along predefined trajectories. This passive guidance mimics the fast and complex movements characteristic of playing piano pieces.
For the experiment, 118 trained pianists were recruited. Initially, the musicians practiced on their own until they reached the limit of their abilities, a so-called "plateau level." After this, they used the exoskeleton, which performed the training movements for them. After training with the exoskeleton, the pianists removed the device and played the pieces again. It was found that:
It was previously believed that after a certain level of mastery, a musician can hardly improve their technique. The new study showed that passive training with a robot is capable not only of overcoming this barrier but also of developing new skills.
The exoskeleton helps the body to remember and consolidate complex movements, even if the person is not physically capable of performing them on their own.
The device is worn on the back of the hand and attached to the fingers, allowing it to gently guide them along predefined trajectories. This passive guidance mimics the fast and complex movements characteristic of playing piano pieces.
For the experiment, 118 trained pianists were recruited. Initially, the musicians practiced on their own until they reached the limit of their abilities, a so-called "plateau level." After this, they used the exoskeleton, which performed the training movements for them. After training with the exoskeleton, the pianists removed the device and played the pieces again. It was found that:
- The participants improved their playing speed and accuracy, surpassing their previous "ceiling."
- Progress was observed not only in the trained right hand but also in the left, which suggests an effect on the entire body.
It was previously believed that after a certain level of mastery, a musician can hardly improve their technique. The new study showed that passive training with a robot is capable not only of overcoming this barrier but also of developing new skills.
The exoskeleton helps the body to remember and consolidate complex movements, even if the person is not physically capable of performing them on their own.
