Browsing by Author "Hurtado García-Huidobro, Fernando"

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    Design of a flutist robot for acoustical experimentation and analysis of flute-like instrument
    (2024) Hurtado García-Huidobro, Fernando; Torres Torriti, Miguel Attilio; Cuadra, Patricio de la; Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. School of Engenieering
    In the last decades, research in flute acoustics has been torn into understanding the relationship between the musician and their instrument and explaining how they interact with each other. Various experiments with flutes have been undertaken to explore this relationship, leading to partial descriptions of their interaction. However, the acquisition of data has been constrained by the unavailability of a comprehensive system capable of exerting control over all relevant variables independently for their analysis. The limitations become evident when observing human players, who, when measured, tend to approach musical tasks differently each time and lack the ability to independently manipulate each parameter. Given this situation, a robotic system that replaces the human instrumentalists in their roles as providers of the conditions to experiment with flute acoustics is proposed. The whole system model is described in detail. A system of airflow with an artificial mouth that channels the air into the labium is proposed, along with a displacement system that allows moving the artificial mouth around the embouchure of the instrument, and a mechanismthat emulates the musician’s fingers acting on the keys of the instrument. The system was implemented, and then three experiments were conducted to characterize its performance. The results show the usefulness of the proposed approach, which can effectively reproduce the conditions required to produce sound with a flute with precision and consistency.
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    Flutist robot, an environment to experiment with flute acoustics
    (European Acoustics Association, EAA, 2023) Hurtado García-Huidobro, Fernando; De La Cuadra Banderas, Patricio; Torres, M. A.; Fabre, B.
    Recent studies on flute-like instruments have raised interest in creating an environment to precisely control and measure the strategies used by flutists while controlling their instruments. A robotic setup is proposed. Capable of independently controlling the three parameters that are crucial to producing a musical sound from the instrument: (1) the length of the air jet, (2) its angle into the flute, (3) the jet’s offset with respect to the labium. It also allows for precise control of the jet speed and the trajectories for every parameter. A custom-designed artificial mouth can move around a fixed flute by a three-axis mechanism operated with stepper motors. The air jet velocity is controlled with a mass flow controller connected to an air compressor. Another robotic mechanism is proposed to emulate the fingerings acting on the keys, creating a versatile testbed to study the musician’s control dynamically. Both, the details of the mechanical design and the future possibilities of the robot will be discussed. We strongly believe that the robot will let us validate many aspects of our knowledge of flute acoustics, understand the details of the instrument design and improve our understanding of the complex relationship between the flutist and its instrument.