Hand in glove…
February 3, 2025 2:09 PM   Subscribe

A stimulating piece by Liam Shaw (LRB Blog) about researchers who’ve developed an exoskeletal robotic device which enables pianists to play all the notes exceptionally fast. “Shinichi Furuya … was once an aspiring piano virtuoso. As he explained in a talk in 2017, in his teens he spent up to ten hours a day practising. The punishing schedule led to recurrent hand pain that no doctor could cure. His career since has focused on studying the mechanics of piano-playing – and, more recently, the potential application of robotics. He founded the NeuroPiano Institute in Kyoto, which aims to allow musicians to ‘surmount the limits of creativity’.”
posted by Joeruckus (5 comments total) 12 users marked this as a favorite
 
I would hope that the device wearer is kept securely apart from any Black MIDI score, for humane reasons.
posted by Joeruckus at 2:13 PM on February 3 [3 favorites]


Patient: Doc, will I be able to play piano after the procedure?
Doctor: Yes, I don't see why not.
Patient: That's wonderful I could never play piano before!
posted by chavenet at 4:10 PM on February 3 [5 favorites]


Reading this post after the ctenophore post had me checking all the other post titles to see if it’s Smiths Day on MeFi…
posted by ejs at 5:56 PM on February 3 [2 favorites]


Didn't Conlon Nancarrow alreaady do this?
posted by charlesminus at 12:53 PM on February 4


I found this research fascinating. They were able to measurably improve a pianist's ability to play faster with robotically-performed passive motion exercises at high speeds. It has implications for professional music performers, but also for sports medicine and any other sphere where passive training can exceed active training limits.
posted by Wilbefort at 5:57 AM on February 7


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