Robots play Beethoven's 'Für Elise'

21 November 2012, 10:46

Boffins at the Georgia Robotics and InTelligent Systems lab have taught roving robots to play Beethoven.

Beethoven's 'Für Elise' has been given a new spin thanks to scientists at the Georgia Robotics and InTelligent Systems lab (otherwise known as 'Grits'). Using a team of swarm robots, they've managed to give the piano classic a fresh interpretation using artificial intelligence.

The robots are given a set of instructions that mean they have to reach a certain location at a certain time, with each location relating to a certain note that sounds on their arrival. Shortest routes to each robot's destination are calculated on-board.

As you can see in the video below, their interpretation is a rather melancholy and maudlin one. So a bit more 'Robotica' than 'Eroica', but we think there's real potential there…

According to Engadget, other incarnations of the swarm robots are also being used to pioneer modern warfare techniques. We prefer these rather more peaceful specimens, obviously.