The Waseda Flutist Robot No.4 Refined VI is a Research robot developed by Waseda University (Japan), launched 2011.
RoboScore
Weak evidence
No confirmed deployment on record — this score reflects the rest of the record, not verified adoption.
4 of 9 signals present
Recomputed nightly from public data. Missing data is skipped, never zero-filled — and rankings are never for sale.
Weighted factors
average of the 4 scored · blanks don't count
Not in the Research standing. The standings cover robots first sold from 2020 onward, and this one launched in 2011. Its Robo Score above is unaffected — the score is the evidence, the standing is only who it is listed against.
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Overview
The Waseda Flutist is a robot that can play the flute just like a human can. It has lungs, a mouth, and a tongue that are closely modeled on human organs, and it's technically proficient, albeit robotic. The robot performs a duet with a professional flutist. The Waseda Flutist was created by Atsuo Takanishi, Jorge Solis, and colleagues at Waseda University, in Tokyo. The Flutist robot is essentially made up of two acrylic cylinders and bellows for the lungs, a vibrato mechanism to imitate human vocal cords, an artificial tongue and lips made of a thermoplastic rubber called Septon, two CCD cameras for the eyes, and flexible arms and fingers that can open and close. Together, these 'organs' have 41 degrees of freedom and are driven by complex mechanical systems of motorized levers and pulleys under the control of actuators and a computer.
Flagship features
- Built by the Humanoid Robotics Institute at Waseda University
- Has featured in many academic presentations and events
- Utilizes MIDI technology for control
- Part of a series of flutist robots aimed at artistic applications
Buyer decision signals
Viability
KOBIAN introduced as an emotional humanoid robot
Price
Published figures are build cost or program budget, not a purchase price
Specifications
Category: Research- Weight
- 150 kg
- Autonomy
- fully autonomous
- Launch year
- 2011
- Price
- Research platform
- Status
- active
Published figures are build cost or program budget, not a purchase price
Company profile
- Founded
- 2000
Detailed specifications
What it is built for3
- Applications
- education
- Industries Served
- education,music
- Deployment Environment
- indoor
Size & capacity1
- Height Mm
- 1700
Movement & precision4
- Hand Dof
- 19
- Dof Total
- 32
- Dof Per Arm
- 7
- Dof Per Hand
- 12
Controls & integration2
- Sensor Suite
- imu,ccd camera
- Programming Interface
- proprietary app
Buying & support1
- Model Variants
- WF-1,WF-2,WF-3RIX,WF-4,WF-4RIV,WF-4RV
Who runs it· deployment evidence
No deployment evidence on file
A deployment is recorded when a public source names the customer, or the maker confirms it. Nothing here counts against this robot.
7 other robots in this category have one.
Add a deployment →Company milestones
- May 2009MilestoneKOBIAN introduced as an emotional humanoid robot
- Oct 2008MilestoneWF-4RIV development paper presented
- 2009MilestoneMusical robots perform duets
- 2009MilestonePlanned future use in care settings
- 2009LaunchDevelopment of Waseda Flutist Robot WF-4RVI
- 2009DeploymentWaseda flute robot joined duet performance
- 2009LaunchDevelopment of Waseda Flutist Robot WF-4RV
- 2008DeploymentWF-4RVI presented at BioRob 2008
Compare with peers
- Compare Waseda Flutist Robot No.4 Refined VI with PR166.6
- Compare Waseda Flutist Robot No.4 Refined VI with Kilobot66.6
- Compare Waseda Flutist Robot No.4 Refined VI with Saildrone Explorer66.5
- Compare Waseda Flutist Robot No.4 Refined VI with Aqua265.0
- Compare Waseda Flutist Robot No.4 Refined VI with iRobot Create62.4
More by Waseda University
Frequently asked questions
- Who makes the Waseda Flutist Robot No.4 Refined VI?
- The Waseda Flutist Robot No.4 Refined VI is developed by Waseda University, based in Japan.
- What type of robot is the Waseda Flutist Robot No.4 Refined VI?
- The Waseda Flutist Robot No.4 Refined VI is a Research robot made by Waseda University.
- How much does the Waseda Flutist Robot No.4 Refined VI cost?
- Pricing for the Waseda Flutist Robot No.4 Refined VI is not publicly listed — contact Waseda University for a quote.
- When was the Waseda Flutist Robot No.4 Refined VI launched?
- The Waseda Flutist Robot No.4 Refined VI was launched in 2011.
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