SYO violinist performs with award-winning RoboFiddler
On Thursday 1 November a very unusual masterclass will take place at NICTA's Neville Roach Laboratory when Sydney Youth Orchestra (SYO) violinist Megan Lee leads the award-winning ‘RoboFiddler’ in performance. The robotic violin player sponsored by NICTA, Australia’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Research Centre of Excellence and created by University of Adelaide mechatronics engineering students.
While RoboFiddler will not be playing at the Royal Albert Hall any time soon, it won second place in the inaugural ARTEMIS Orchestra contest which was held in Berlin in June 2007. The competition is based on longstanding European traditions in music and challenges participants to create devices which play real musical instruments with the help of various embedded technologies.
NICTA Chief Executive Officer Dr David Skellern, who was present at the ARTEMIS Orchestra contest, said "NICTA is thrilled with the result the team achieved, especially given that the competition attracted entries from leading embedded systems teams across Europe. I think they were a crowd favourite!”
RoboFiddler was developed by University of Adelaide mechatronics engineering students Yee Chia, Boon Hong, Chin Lee and Beinjy Lim. The team created a system that links a conventional laptop computer to a micro-controller controlling both the robotic ‘bow arm’ and a series of six metal ‘fingers’ to allow 28 notes to be played across the four strings.
"It is a complex system because the bow needs to be told not only which string to play, but at what angle and speed to play to ensure a clean sound,” University of Adelaide Head of the School of Mechanical Engineering Professor Colin Hansen said. “The result is not up to orchestra standard, but it is an impressive piece of engineering.”
17-year-old Megan Lee, SYO violinist, will lead RoboFiddler in playing the two pieces it performed at the ARTEMIS competition: a traditional piece called Soldier’s Joy, and a study from German composer Hans Sitt’s 100 Etudes.
“I am interested to see what kind of sound RoboFiddler makes. But I think the emotion and responsiveness of a real-life musician mean that the finest performances will always be by flesh and blood!” Megan said.
No stranger to the natural overlap of science and art, Megan is currently completing her HSC Exams which include both Music Performance and Mathematics at Extension 2 level. However Megan will give away the maths when she auditions for a place at the Conservatorium of Music next year. After completing her degree there she hopes to make her way as a professional chamber music or orchestral performer.
Playing with other musicians as a member of the SYO is an important part of her musical experience.
While Megan has a long road to travel on her route to the top, NICTA Senior Research Engineer Dr John Judge said that the challenges for Robofiddler are even greater: “The award-winning robotics of RoboFiddler have a long way to go, and participating in a masterclass with a real performer is part of the next step to true musicality” Dr Judge said.
Document(s): 
SYO violinist plays with award-winning RoboFidder (pdf, 26KB)
Contact: Kelly Mills
Phone: +61 2 8374 5489
Email: kelly.mills@nicta.com.au
