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A three-armed robot conductor named Maira has joined the Dresden Symphony Orchestra. This technological marvel is the result of collaboration between the orchestra's artistic director Markus Rindt and the Technical University of Dresden, “Rossiyskaya Gazeta” reports with reference to The Guardian.
Maira made a successful debut, holding two concerts, which coincided with the orchestra's 25th anniversary. The robot's design is remarkable for its simplicity and effectiveness: three arms equipped with glow sticks of different colors, capable of moving in any direction thanks to seven joints. To prevent overload, each “arm” is protected by a special mechanism.
During the performance, the orchestra was divided into three groups, each controlled by a separate arm of Maira. The artistic director emphasized that the goal of creating the robot is not to replace a human conductor, but to expand the orchestra’s capabilities in performing complex musical pieces that are inaccessible to traditional conducting.
Interestingly, the idea for Maira came from Rindt's personal experience. About 25 years ago, he noticed that the rhythm of his bassoon did not match the tempo set by the conductor. In response to the remark, the conductor said: “I am not a robot”. Now Maira will have no such excuse.