In a pioneering event in South Korea, an android robot named EveR 6 took center stage as the conductor of the country’s national orchestra at the National Theater of Korea. Developed by the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, the two-armed robot with a humanoid face made its debut, leading the musicians with its precise movements.
EveR 6 began the performance by bowing to the audience before orchestrating the tempo of the live show with its waving arms. While the robot successfully executed intricate conductor movements, Choi Soo-yeoul, who co-led the performance with EveR 6, acknowledged its “critical weakness” in its inability to listen.
Despite the robot’s flawless rhythm control, audience members pointed out that it lacked the human touch necessary for a truly engaging performance. Lee Young-ju, a student of traditional Korean music, mentioned that the robot’s movements lacked “breath,” referring to the orchestra’s need for collective and instantaneous engagement. Lee believed that improvements were needed for the robot to fulfill the conductor’s role effectively.
Another audience member, Song In-ho, expressed that EveR 6’s performance appeared to be at a basic level. He suggested that equipping the robot with artificial intelligence capable of understanding and analyzing music would enable it to conduct independently.
Recital demonstrated the potential for robots and humans to coexist
The concert featured three of the five showcased pieces, with one jointly conducted by Choi and EveR 6. Reflecting on the event, Choi emphasized that the recital demonstrated the potential for robots and humans to coexist and complement each other rather than one replacing the other.
The debut of EveR 6 as a conductor signifies a significant step in exploring the possibilities of human-robot collaboration in the field of music. As technology continues to advance, further developments in artificial intelligence and musical analysis may pave the way for more sophisticated robot-led performances in the future.
