Ethan David’s Taser-Equipped Robot Shocks Him Into Practicing the Guitar Correctly

Learning any new skill is a long, hard journey. That’s particularly true when learning to play a new instrument on your own, because…

Cameron Coward
5 years agoRobotics / Music

Learning any new skill is a long, hard journey. That’s particularly true when learning to play a new instrument on your own, because you’re not getting feedback to correct your mistakes. When practicing the guitar by yourself, for example, there’s no instructor there to slap you on the wrist when you miss a note. That’s why YouTuber Ethan David built The Electrocuting Practice Robot, which is equipped with a taser and snarky comments to force him into playing correctly.

The robot itself was constructed from a few cardboard boxes David had lying around with a handful of LEDs attached. It’s controlled with an Arduino, and has one servo-actuated arm. At the end of that arm is a taser — the real kind that painfully shocks you. David can load up a musical piece to practice, and the robot will listen to what’s being played on the guitar or any other instrument.

If the note frequencies match what’s supposed to be played, David receives a backhanded compliment from a set of pre-recorded messages created with a robotic voice generator. However, if he misses a note or plays the wrong one, the arm immediately swings out and shocks him into regretting the mishap. You know, like your parents used to do when teaching you a new skill. To add insult to injury — literally — the robot will then deride him with witty quips. It’s hard to tell if any of that is actually helpful when learning to play the guitar, but it’s certainly entertaining to watch.

Cameron Coward
Writer for Hackster News. Proud husband and dog dad. Maker and serial hobbyist.
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