The use of technology Artificial Intelligence Artificial Intelligence, or AI, continues to be developed in various sectors, from the economy and education to music. In fact, AI is also being used as a tool to preserve Indonesia’s traditional culture so it won’t disappear amid the rapid pace of modern times. As a university, Dian Nuswantoro University (Udinus) has long shown its commitment to preserving the traditional Javanese musical instrument, the gamelan, so it can be enjoyed by today’s younger generation in Indonesia.

For the past 10 years, Udinus has been developing the E-Gamelan Kampus Udinus (e-Gamelanku) and has now taken it further into the field of robotics. Today, this innovation has evolved into its latest model, the Sekar Nuswantoro Gamelan Robot.

Rektor Udinus, Prof. Dr. Ir. Edi Noersasongko, M.Kom., menjelaskan riset Robot Gamelan Sekar Nuswantoro merupakan riset yang berkesinambungan. Ungkap Rektor Udinus, inovasi terbaru ini, tidak menggantikan gamelan asli, namun berbeda pada peruntukannya. Selain itu, gamelan yang didesain seperti bunga matahari ini, diklaim mampu bermain 24 jam non stop. Model Robot Gamelan Sekar Nuswantoro ini telah mendapatkan Hak Kekayaan Intelektual (HKI), dan ditargetkan kurang lebih 20 HKI akan didapatkan.

“The Sekar Nuswantoro Gamelan Robot is mainly designed to welcome guests and make it easier for people to enjoy the sound of gamelan anywhere,” said Udinus Rector, Prof. Edi. “We hope this latest innovation from Udinus can be a way for the public to get to know and appreciate authentic Javanese culture.”

The Sekar Nuswantoro Gamelan Robot made its debut at Udinus’ 77th graduation ceremony, performing alongside the Gita Dian Nuswa Student Choir. The ceremony, held at the Grand Room Rama Shinta, Patra Jasa Hotel in Semarang, celebrated the graduation of 913 students. 

How the Sekar Nuswantoro Gamelan Robot Works

The development of the Sekar Nuswantoro Gamelan Robot makes detailed use of technology. Arduino and Solenoid. By using these two technologies, Udinus’ latest gamelan is able to strike various instruments and play music from any connected device software.

The solenoid acts as the driving mechanism to move the mallet. In its operation, the solenoid moves according to the musical notation read by software the provided system. The solenoid’s movement then triggers the mallet to strike one of the instruments according to the notation. The up-and-down motion of the solenoid is controlled by the artificial intelligence embedded in the robot.

In this innovation, which involved five lecturers and 21 students from the Faculty of Computer Science (FIK), six instruments were installed on the Sekar Nuswantoro Gamelan Robot. These instruments are the demung, saron, slenthem, peking, kenong, and gong. True to its name, this gamelan features a futuristic and artistic robotic design. The design concept is inspired by a sunflower, complete with a stem and stalk.  

This, of course, is a unique feature of Udinus’ latest innovation, as stated by Engineer Team the Sekar Nuswantoro Gamelan Robot’s creator, Dr. Arry Maulana Syarif, S.S., M.Kom. According to him, the stems can be assembled manually to suit different needs.

“For example, if the Sekar gamelan is to be played in the slendro scale, the pelog gamelan instruments attached to the stems can be removed first. In addition, the model knockdown or assembly we designed also aims to make this innovation easier to transport,” said Arry Maulana.

In its development, the Sekar Nuswantoro Gamelan Robot has three different models, distinguished by the type of mallet used. The first model uses a small ball with vertical movement, the second model features a smaller mallet with vertical movement, and the third model uses springs and levers. The use of springs and levers in the third model is intended to produce a stronger strike and create a louder sound. (Udinus Public Relations/Alex. Photo: Udinus Public Relations)