Improv: a dancing robot

Interactive Musical Improvisation Study

About the study

Welcome to Improv!

Improv is an AI driven dancing robot designed to listen and respond to you in real time as you engage in musical improvisation

In this study, you will be asked to play a series of short musical improvisations with Improv using one hand on an electric piano keyboard, and complete a questionnaire about your experience.

The purpose of this study is to understand how Improv communicates musical ideas through movement. (Improv follows ‘Wolff1’, which you may or may not have previously participated in).

From start to finish, the study should take no longer than 1-hour.

Please watch the video and read the information below, following the link to sign-up if you would like to participate.

Introducing Improv

How will I interact with Improv?

Positioned facing the keyboard and Improv, you will have a chance to practice, and then engage in 6 separate, 3-minute improvisations.

During these improvisation performances, Improv is listening to you through the mic and designed to cooperate with you as you play music.

Your task is to explore Improv’s capabilities using various musical possibilities of the keyboard in terms of dynamics, pitch, articulation and other expressive features whenever you feel it suits your creative interaction.

We are interested in your experience of interacting with Improv – you will not be assessed or evaluated on the quality of the music you create.

What data will I be providing?

In terms of physiological data, on your non-dominant hand, you will wear a sensor device to capture your physiological (electro-dermal) activity. During your session, we will ask you to complete a 4-part questionnaire on a laptop (provided):

  • Part 1 – About you:

    Your age & gender

  • Part 2 – About your musical expertise and experience:

    Instrument(s) you play, type of musician (performer, composer etc.,), years experience, and pre-conceptions of Improv.

  • Part 3 – Improvisation Evaluation(s):

    After each of the six 3-minute performances, we will record your ratings of specific qualities of interaction with Improv, as well as your certainty of those ratings.

  • Part 4 – Session Evaluation

    After all performances are complete, we will ask you to reflect broadly on your experience with Improv in terms of what felt rewarding, what did not feel rewarding, and how you approached the task.

    You will have the opportunity to ask additional questions about Improv and the wider project once the study has completed.

Further Info & Sign-up

Further information (Location/time/date etc., will be sent to you after confirmation of availability)

Interested? Please follow this link to sign-up! https://forms.office.com/e/5SweFJtJQ5

Participation Information Sheets

Participation Info Sheet can be found here

Full Privacy Notice can be found here

Before you participate in this experiment you must read the Participation Information Sheet and Privacy Notice

Then sign this consent form and email it to Dr Oliver Miles .