Robotic Glove Boosts Piano Practice - Twig Science Reporter

Episode

03/13/2025

A new robotic glove could help pianists play faster.

Transcript

When learning an instrument, practice makes perfect! Professional pianists study for thousands of hours, playing pieces again… And again… And again… To improve their technical ability.

Now, engineers in Tokyo, Japan have developed a device that could give practice sessions a boost. A robotic glove!

It works by rapidly moving the pianist’s fingers for them, training them to perform complex movements more quickly. Researchers found that after using it for just 30 minutes, finger speed increased by 30 percent.

This type of training could benefit other activities too. Like esports, which often require similarly agile movements.

This technology won’t replace the need for plenty of practice, but its inventors hope it can offer pianists a helping hand to reach their full potential!

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Robotic Glove Boosts Piano Practice

Teaching overview

Learning points

Pianists practice for thousands of hours to improve their technical ability.
Engineers in Tokyo, Japan have invented a robotic glove that moves the wearer’s fingers for them, training them to play more quickly.
Researchers found that finger speed increased 30 percent after using the glove for 30 minutes.

Curriculum keywords

robotics
music
technology

Spark a discussion

What does the robotic glove do?
How did researchers test its effect on pianists?
What other activities might benefit from this kind of training?

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