“Absolut Quartet” is an interactive musical experience that invites users to take part in a creative dialogue with a robotic orchestra. The physical installation is a collection of three robotic musical instruments and the online user becomes the fourth member of the quartet, providing the musical seed which forms the basis of a personalized performance.
Users interact with the machine through the online interface. They enter a short motif, or musical theme, on their computer keyboard. The motif they enter is broadcast into the physical space with the robot so visitors in the gallery can hear the user’s motif. The machine then uses the motif as the basis for a unique three-minute piece of music. This performance is also saved to a web gallery where they can download it for future viewing, and sharing with others.
With “Absolut Quartet” the web becomes a gateway which allows you to create art in the physical world. This art instantly reaches other people and there is a permanent record of the work.
The machine was designed to appear to do the impossible. It is this feature that brings people in and encourages them to take full advantage of the interactive nature of the piece. Each instrument is designed to highlight acoustic materials in a unique fashion. The primary instrument is six-meter long, 42-key ballistic marimba. Forty two robotic arms launch balls two meters into the air, precisely aimed at keys as thin as five cm. This instrument throws roughly a quarter million rubber balls daily. The harmonies are provided by a wine-glass organ which mimics the action of the “finger on the wine glass” trick on 35 custom tuned wine glasses. Each glass is played by a robotic finger—the end of the finger is made of suede soaked in a special chemical that behaves like water but doesn’t evaporate over the course of the installation. The rhythms are provided by an array of ethnic percussion instruments, including a djembe, cajon, various cymbals and material hits. The online user is the fourth member of the quartet, as they completely determine the nature of the piece. Online users can see their piece performed while people are in the space with the machine. This allows internet users an uncommon level of telepresence. Both the physical machine and interactive software are key to providing the entire experience.

Links: http://bea.st/sight/absolutQuartet/

Jeff Lieberman (US), born in 1978, is an artist and PhD Student at MIT, currently holding degrees in math, physics, mechanical engineering, and media arts and sciences. He works in the Robotic Life group of the MIT Media Lab researching new forms of technologically-based expression.

Dan Paluska (US), born 1974, holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the MIT, He was part of MIT’s Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and Biomechatronics Group, working on walking robots, prosthetics research, etc. In 2001, he started Collision Collective, an arts and tech group putting on shows in Boston and beyond. In 2006, Dan left MIT to pursue art and installation full-time. http://plainfront.com