1. Introduction/Background

Introduction: The purpose of this project was to create a robot that can play a tune on a regular octave of a piano with several finger-like appendages. In addition, we also aimed to control the entire device with one motor, and have interchangeable “cylinders” similar to vinyl records that would allow for a different song with each cylinder. 

Background:

 The first commercial pneumatic player piano was made in 1897 by the inventor Edwin Votey. Similar devices are widely commercially available, despite falling out of fashion in recent years. However, the vast majority of player pianos are either pneumatically controlled or (in the modern era) controlled via solenoids. This means that most player pianos have the device integrated into the piano itself. 

Similarly, most piano players are controlled either electronically (in the case of modern solenoid player pianos) or via a roll of paper with cutouts for air to flow through (in the case of pneumatic player pianos). 

Chosen Song