Aaron Kuffner Turns Indonesian Gongs Into A Robotic Orchestra

Inventor and artist Aaron Taylor Kuffner's artistic robotic orchestra, Gamelatron fuses technology, sound, sculpture, and engineering to create a visceral experience based on acoustic resonance and robotic technology. Based on ancient Indonesian bronze gongs called the gamelan, Kuffner brings the past to the present to create a kinetic sculpture. He works with master craftsmen from Indonesia to fabricate the gongs and then alters their shape and then adds a finish to create unique pieces of sculpture. He crafts each robotic part and electronic components by hand to create a'digital brain,' (made of pulse width modulation chips, circuit boards, etc.) installs mechanical mallets and builds custom mounts for each sound sculpture. The circuit boards Kuffner uses today are made in partnership with Lumigeek.