Robotic drum "teacher" trains the next Bonham

An MIT researcher has developed a tool for students learning to play
the drums which can speed up the time it takes for newcomers to pick up
the instrument. The device, a robotic arm designer Graham Grindlay
calls the "Haptic Guidance System" (or HAGUS), uses a drumstick
fastened to a set of motors which a user holds while being led on beat.
A brace holds the arm in place while the machine plays back a
pre-recorded pattern -- in studies, Grindlay found that students with
no drumming experience were able to hit the drum 18 percent more
effectively after using the HAGUS. A spokesman from the Center for
Computer Research in Music and Acoustics at Stanford says the work does
a "wonderful job" demonstrating the ability of haptic devices to train
beginning musicians. So... can a Rock Band implementation of this be
far behind?

[Via Digg]