Robot drummer nails complex songs with 90% human-like precision

Researchers from SUPSI, IDSIA, and Politecnico di Milano have developed Robot Drummer, a humanoid robot capable of playing complex drum patterns with over 90% human-like rhythmic precision. Unlike typical humanoid robots designed for practical tasks, this project explores creative arts by enabling the robot to perform entire drum tracks across genres such as jazz, rock, and metal. The system translates music into a “rhythmic contact chain,” a sequence of precisely timed drum strikes, allowing the robot to learn human-like drumming techniques including stick switching, cross-arm hits, and movement optimization. The development began from an informal conversation and progressed through machine learning simulations on the G1 humanoid robot. Robot Drummer not only replicates timing but also plans upcoming strikes and dynamically reassigns drumsticks, showing promise for real-time adaptation and improvisation. The researchers aim to transition the system from simulation to physical hardware and envision robotic musicians joining live performances, potentially revolutionizing how rhythm and timing skills are taught