At first glance, ZRob looks like a simple robot, small enough to sit on a table, holding a drumstick and beating a drum.
But this little machine is much more advanced than it seems.
ZRob has a flexible robotic arm, similar to the movement of a human wrist, and uses artificial intelligence (AI) to improve how it plays.
Created by Mojtaba Karbasi as part of his doctoral research at the RITMO Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Rhythm, Time, and Motion at the University of Oslo, ZRob can do what many robots can’t.
It doesn’t just play the drums—it listens, learns, and even creates rhythms that humans can’t replicate.
ZRob’s AI and flexible arm give it unique abilities. When several ZRob robots play together, they can perform drum rolls with incredible precision and create completely new rhythms.
These rhythms have a hint of human touch but are also something entirely original.
“Playing together, the robots discover patterns that are unlike anything else,” says Karbasi. He will defend his dissertation on this innovative project on November 29.
ZRob was designed using a “bio-inspired” approach, meaning the robot takes inspiration from how humans move and sense the world.
However, the goal was not to copy humans exactly, but to use human-like movements as a starting point.
Unlike humans, who can naturally adjust their movements based on what they see, hear, or feel, robots usually struggle with such flexibility. ZRob is different. Its design includes two small springs on either side of its arm, mimicking the flexibility of a human wrist.
This flexibility, combined with its AI, allows ZRob to adapt to the motion of the drum it’s hitting. The robot has two senses: it can listen and sense the position of its arm.
ZRob’s springs vary in size, and its AI adjusts its behavior based on its physical setup. For example, when playing a drum pattern, ZRob finds the best way to move its arm for precise hits. Changing the springs changes the way the robot plays, resulting in unique rhythms.
“When different robots play together, their physical differences completely shape the sound,” explains Karbasi. “It’s like hearing a piano played by forty fingers—something humans can’t imagine or replicate.”
Karbasi believes ZRob’s ability to create unique rhythms can inspire musicians. Unlike robots that try to perfectly copy human behavior, ZRob offers something new by blending human-like elements with its own unique style.
A robot like ZRob could also be helpful. For example, it could assist musicians by playing alongside them or even help a drummer who has lost an arm.
The impact of this research goes beyond music. If robots like ZRob can sense and adapt their behavior, they could eventually handle other tasks, such as pouring a glass of water or cutting food.
“ZRob is a step toward creating robots that can interact with the world in more human-like ways,” says Karbasi’s supervisor, Alexander Refsum Jensenius.
Karbasi’s work on ZRob has been published in the journal Frontiers in Robotics and AI. This little robot isn’t just playing drums—it’s drumming up excitement for the future of robotics.
Source: University of Oslo.
