Ode to Robotics

Almost 200 years after Beethoven’s final symphony premiered in Vienna, three whirring, clanging electronic devices will perform on the Homewood campus today, playing “Ode to Joy,” Symphony No. 9’s final – and arguably most famous – movement.

The musical robots were designed and built by undergraduate students as an end-of-semester project for an Introduction to Mechatronics class taught by Charbel Rizk, associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and a lecturer in Mechanical Engineering.

“The theme for this year’s project was ‘Beethoven Here We Come,’” explains Rizk. “The name represents some humor, as if saying robotics in the future will present a challenge to the great musicians of the world, like Beethoven.”

The task was complex: Build and design a robotic system that can listen to and or play specific notes for at least 30 seconds. The robots also must have the ability to move onto and off the stage, playing from a designated location. They must be able to provide a gesture to the audience as well stop and start between phases based on external signals.

The resulting robotic systems tackle that task in a variety of ways. One plays the song through a connection of tubes and air whistles—each note played through an electronic device that directs the airflow through different whistles. Audience members can view the piece’s lyrics on a screen. Another device’s top spins as it plays the song by striking the cords stretched along the device’s arms.

According to Rizk, the course aims to foster student collaboration, creativity and problem solving.

“The final project builds on most of the skills and knowledge they have acquired, but also allows the students’ creativity to flourish,” says Rizk. “The end goal is simple: to motivate the students while actively testing their capabilities.”

The students on this year’s teams include: