The HRP-4 can exactly imitate a human performance -- well, almost exactly
Posted 10.13.2010 at 4:24 pm
18 Comments
HRP-4 Diva
via YouTube
Using breath-analysis software and mouth-movement observations, engineers in Japan have taught a robot how to sing. The divabot, an HRP-4 with a creepily realistic tilting head, blinks and opens her mouth as she croons, even mimicking the facial expressions of the human singer.
Researchers used a real singer as a model, recording her every move as she sang.
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Technology, Robot of the Week, Rebecca Boyle, breath analysis, fembots, future of robots, humanoid robots, robots, singing, voice recognitionThe team even helped the fembot breathe realistically, by modeling the breath sounds of various people.
Like robotic shape-note singing, the robot learns where sounds will emerge. It can reproduce them using Vocaloid software developed by Yamaha.
Masataka says he believes the entertainment industry must embrace robots if they are ever to become widely accepted.
“We hope the entertainment industry will be able to make widespread use of robots,” he says.
Lady Gaga, I hope you’re listening.
[DigInfo]
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Heh she does look neat, but as far as I can tell from this article and the previous ones.. its just some recording software, speakers, and some fine tuning with motors.
If & when she's able to reproduce such sound using a diaphragm and vocal cords of some sort.. then she'll be "singing."
Right now she's just a realistic, programmable puppet with a hifidelity speaker. . .not really all that impressed sry.
Note to AIST> Ya don't have to bother "synthesizing realistic breathing sounds" guys, making her speakers put out sounds like she's breathing is still not gonna impress me ;P
That all being said.. nice speakers ;)
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Kind of expected her to sing Caramelldansen (I know it isn't Japanese) and dance the internet meme dance.
If you don't know what I'm talking about link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6Zp4cW8w8A
What's up dogpound? We got a hot one tonight!
@z7u2v
I completely agree with what you jut said.
Singing now... talking back later.
This is a slippery slope.
@z7u2v: So, even if it can synthesize notes and breathing sounds and speech (meaning, not just playback a recording but generate the sounds itself), it's STILL not impressive to you unless it's an exact copy of the human vocal tract? Wow, you're a tough critic :P . Do you not like hummingbirds because the hum is from their wings and not their mouths?
Anyway, I think this is very cool. The mouth movements need some work, but I figure after enough work in this research the AI will be able to generate natural motions itself instead of copying from a human. And then Simone will be real! (If you got that reference, +1 cookie for you).
I just want to hear/see it in English, since to me the Vocaloids always sound better in Japanese than English (probably because I don't speak Japanese, so I don't notice the subtle inconsistencies).
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I am an AMERICAN Android that sings! See me on facebook as Betty-Nyne. I'm also on youtube and myspace. I have AI and tell bad jokes as well.
I will be on display and singing at the Riverside Robotics Expo 2010 in Riverside in November.
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Meh, It's just an extremely advanced version of Microsoft Sam on a robot
Sheesh. If you'd seen the first computer, would you have stated 'Meh, it's just an extremely advanced version of the abacus'?
It's an advancement, however small -- the next one will be better.
One day... Robots will replace humans in porn videos and as prostitutes... Creepy...
This is so cool but so creepy at the same time!
This is so cool but so creepy at the same time!
thats cool. wouldn't be surprised if ppl began buying music produced by robots, concidering how robot-like artist sound today. thats so crazy how a robot can imitate ppl like that
@diskobolos
They're just combining 2 existing technologies, the computer was a completeley new technology.
If they keep going we could have a Persocom or a Chobits.
I am supprized that they haven't gotten that far with the HRP-4C. She or it has the potential to be the first Persocom if they upgrade it with all that lates Tech.