Mechanism and Machine Theory 121 (2018) 273–285

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Mechanism and Machine Theory

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/mechmachtheory

Research paper

A historical study and mechanical classification of ancient

music-playing automata
Yu-Hsun Chen a,b, Marco Ceccarelli b, Hong-Sen Yan a,∗
a
Department.of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
b
Laboratory of Robotics and Mechatronics, University of Cassino and South Latium, Cassino, Italy

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: The mechanical music automata have been developed since thousands years ago for mim-
Received 5 July 2017 icking sound of animals or playing a melody. They are documented and/or preserved
Revised 29 September 2017
in many countries, with solutions that reflect the evolution of mechanical manufacture
Accepted 21 October 2017
and technology in these areas. In this article, a timeline of the ancient literature in both
western and eastern countries is arranged to clarify the historical development of music-
Keywords: playing automata. The functional mechanical design parameters are arranged based on the
History of mechanical systems four fundamental music characteristics as pitch, duration, intensity and timbre. Moreover,
Automata the mechanical music generators are also classified into wind, percussion, strings instru-
Classification ments and the steel music comb according to their composition. These music-playing au-
History of music-playing automata tomata are analyzed in four main units, namely power system, music generator, transmis-
sion and mechanical puppets. Finally, seven ancient automata are analyzed as illustrative
examples from the viewpoint of mechanism design for these analysis and classification.
© 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction

The music-playing automata are mechanical devices that act or sound automatically, and any operation or extra force
is not required for their task of entertainment. This kind of automata can be traced back to long time ago. People tried to
simulate the sounds of animals or music instruments through mechanical systems since the antiquity, and a lot of automata
were invented during the past thousands of years. The materials that were used in those automata are mainly metals or
woods. The power sources such as flowing water, steam, manpower, weight, spring, or rolling wheels are applied. They not
only reflect the development of science and technology but also show local characteristics of the time period when they
were made [1–4]. Before the invention of recorder or audio devices, it was difficult to describe the sound of bird chirp, and
the music melody also could not be collected. Therefore, many inventors and artisans made automata with music-playing
devices that make the sounds and music repeatable. And, several huge devices such as tower clocks can also transmit
information in the cities or towns. Some of these automata are still preserved in many countries all over the world, and
some of them are lost although they are documented in the literature especially in Europe and Asia.
In ancient Greek, Ctesibius (BC 285–222) and Heron of Alexandria (10–70 AD) described their designs such as mechanical
singing birds [5,6]. In Arabic countries, the brother Banu Musa (lived in the 9th century) and Al-Jazari (1136–1206) recorded
their inventions with illustrations, such as self-operated fluted [7,8]. In ancient China, Su Song (1020–1101) described a water
clock tower with figures that tell time through striking drums or ringing bells [9–11]. Moreover, an odometer and a sand

∗
Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: n18021062@mail.ncku.edu.tw (Y.-H. Chen), ceccarelli@unicas.it (M. Ceccarelli), hsyan@mail.ncku.edu.tw (H.-S. Yan).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mechmachtheory.2017.10.015
0094-114X/© 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
274 Y.-H. Chen et al. / Mechanism and Machine Theory 121 (2018) 273–285

Fig. 1. Timeline of ancient literatures about music automata.

clock with ringing figures are recorded in Chinese literature during the 14th century [12,13]. In the 15th century, Korean
Jang Yeong-sil described his water clock with time-telling figures [14]. In the 16th century, Italian Leonardo da Vinci (1452–
1519) draw the automatic drums and a cannon musical device in his manuscripts [15]. In the 17th century, French engineer
Salomon de Caus (1576–1626), German Athanasius Kircher (1602–1680) and Kaspar Schott (1608–1666) recorded their water-
driven inventions that sounded automatically [16–18]. In the 18th century, Japanese Tagaya Kanchusen (unknown, the18th
century) and Hosokawa Yorinao (unknown-1796) explained their automata puppets (so-called Karakuri) with illustrations
[19–22]. In France, Jacques de Vaucanson (1709–1782) described figures with drum and flute [23]. In the 19th century,
Italian Giovanni Antonio Borgnis (1781–1863) recorded a delicate device with a steel music comb and a cylinder [24]. The
above mentioned designs are famous examples of automata evidence.
Fig. 1 shows a timeline of these ancient literatures. In western countries, although there are more than one thousand
years empty during the 1st to the 13th century for which records are not available, the technology of music automata
started at the ancient Greece, flourished after Renaissance, reached the top with the Industry Revolution, and decayed with
the development of electronics. For the Eastern countries, although there were some ingenious works, most of they were
neither inherited nor evolved.
Except the ancient literature mentioned above, a lot of ancient automata are still preserved. For examples, the Vienna
lady [25] by Juanelo’s (1501–1585), the musician automaton [21] by Pierre Jaquet-Droz’s (1721–1790), and the bell ringers of
clock tower at piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy. In addition, many studies of music automata on history and development
were published in modern times about the preserved automata.
Rixford described many ancient and modern automata with illustrations of their internal mechanical structures [26].
Bailly and Teriault introduced the automata that were made in the 18th and 19th centuries based on Bailly’s collections
[27,28]. Yun et al. explained the mechanical components that were generally applied in the ancient clocks and automata
according to their experience of maintaining the antique timepieces and automata [29]. Peppe introduced mechanical toys
with explanation of the components and mechanism structures [30]. Leichtentritt provided a definition of mechanical music
and introduced a variety of automatic devices such as music clocks, harps, sound box, and whistle [31]. Brett presented
the research of “Pneumatica” in Byzantine time through the historical records and illustrations to arrange the development
of science and mechanical technology [32]. Bowers wieldy introduced several music-playing automata during 1750 to 1940
as an encyclopedia [33]. Koetsier outlined many mechanical devices with the concept of programming, such as the music
 Y.-H. Chen et al. / Mechanism and Machine Theory 121 (2018) 273–285 275

Fig. 2. Illustrative examples of the four types mechanical music generators: (a) wind instrument, (b) percussion instrument, (c) string instrument, (d) steel
music comb.

Table 1
Mechanical design parameters in music automata.

Music elements Measure unit Wind instrument Percussion instrument String instrument Steel music comb

Pitch Hz Length of whistle Size of bell/drum Length and tension of string Length of comb tooth

Duration s Timing arrangement of regulator

Intensity dB Air flow rate Striking force Pluck force Vibration amplitude

Timbre – Materials

automata by Arabic Banu Musa brothers and the flute-playing automaton by French Vaucanson. He also pointed out that the
music-playing automaton is one of the earliest programmable machines [34].
In this paper, a classification of these devices is introduced from modern perspective of mechanical engineering so that
development of music-playing automata is discussed both from historical and technical viewpoints. The proposed classifica-
tion is based on the aspects from mechanical structure analysis. In order to survey the mechanism designs and to recognize
common aspects in design and operation, a list of preserved or documented automata is described and examples are dis-
cussed. Finally, the conclusions are addressed to stress the technology development of automata in this peculiar field of
music-playing devices.

2. Music characteristics and mechanical design parameters

According to the physical means that are used to produce the sound by means of instruments such as blowing, striking or
plucking, there are three main types of musical instruments, namely wind, percussion, and string instruments [35]. Because
the design of mechanical music-playing devices is basically dependent on the application of musical instruments, these
three types are also applied in musical automata since ancient times. Moreover, a new kind of mechanical instrument, steel
music comb, was invented in the 18th century.
A mechanical wind instrument is composed of air box and whistle. The former compresses the air to make it flowing, the
latter is a tube (or a set of tubes) with a narrow hole or reed, as shown in Fig. 2(a). When air flows through the hole/reed,
the instrument makes sound. A mechanical percussion instrument is made up of a striker and a drum or bell, as shown
in Fig. 2(b). Percussion instruments are the devices with the simplest mechanical structure, and therefore they were used
extensively in both Europe and Asia. A mechanical string instrument is made of a set of strings with different length or
diameter, so that it is sounded through plucking or robbing, as shown in Fig. 2(c). This type of automata is rare because
it requires a complicated motion to play strings. Although there are some automata puppets carry a string instrument on
their hands, the sounds are made by other music generators inside. Finally, a steel music comb is composed of a comb with
various length of teeth and a cylinder or disc with pins, as shown in Fig. 2(d). Usually it is an independent part of the music
automata, and it can be made in a small size so that it is used to work concert with automata puppets.
The four fundamental characteristics of music sounds are pitch, duration, intensity, and timbre [35]. They are the charac-
teristics of sound waves that correspond to various physical/mechanical parameters, as summarized in Table 1. Pitch can be
understood by the frequency of sound that is measured in Hz, and it is mainly related to the geometric size and tension of
music instruments, such as length, size or shape. In general, the frequency is inversely proportional to the size parameter.
For instance, a longer string usually makes a lower pitch. Duration is a time period of a continuous sound that is usually
measured in second, and it is related to the arrangement of regulator component which is generally made of a cam (cylin-
der with pins or concaves) mechanism. Intensity is the loudness of sounds that is measured in dB. It is the amplitude of
sound waves and mainly related to the applied external force on the sound source. However, duration is sometimes related
to intensity especially when the mechanical-playing automata are not equipped with a sound stopper. Finally, timbre is the
quality of sound that is based on the shape of sound wave forms. It depends on the materials or shape of instruments, so
that different musical instruments make different timbre. Since it cannot be measured, there is no unit for this music char-
acteristic. In general, timbre cannot be changed through operating the instrument. The physics of sound is an interesting
topic that has been investigated since hundreds years ago, therefore the relevant theories were developed plenty [35,36].
276 Y.-H. Chen et al. / Mechanism and Machine Theory 121 (2018) 273–285

Table 2
Mechanical structure of music-playing devices.

The pitch, duration and intensity of the sounds are variable characteristics that can be controlled by mechanical opera-
tion, but the timbre depends on the used materials only and it is not related to the mechanical design of music automata.
Therefore, the mechanism analysis of ancient music automata in this paper is focused on the first three characteristics in
order to evaluate the automata outcomes.

3. Classification and structural analysis

A structural analysis of music-playing automata is summarized in Table 2 by looking at the mechanical design. Three
subsystems are considered for the basic functions, and they can be classified through mechanical elements inside them. For
the power system in Table 2, water (or steam) and manpower are the earliest sources which are indicated in the literature
about music-playing automata as reported in [5]. Rotating wheels and hanging weights were also applied in the middle age,
while springs are a power source system that was used widely during the 17th to 19th century in all kinds of automata.
A music generator is a mechanical system that plays music or makes sounds within automata. The four basic types of
mechanical generators in Table 2 are explained in the previous section. Transmission systems and mechanical puppet system
in Table 2 include most of mechanism elements, such as gears, pulleys and linkages as they used wildly since the ancient
time. A transmission connects the power system to the music generator and mechanical puppet systems. A mechanical
puppet is the most variable part in an automaton device. It was usually made with the shape of figures or animals to
perform a set of motion when it is operated. Some of the automata show the music generator and mechanical puppets
as separated from each other, so they are able to work independently. Some devices are designed to combine these two
together. In such a case, the figure’s arms or fingers or other mobile pieces are a part of the instrument; therefore, they play
music with the puppet motion too.

4. Examples

According to the classification and structure analysis presented in Fig. 2, Tables 1 and 2, the following examples are used
to clarify the characteristics of music-playing automata.
Fig. 3(a) shows one of Heron’s automata designed in the 1st century, even though the illustration was redrawn in the
modern time [5]. This automaton can be identified as wind instruments based on the classification in Fig. 2. A structure
analysis block diagram and a mechanism sketch of the music generator are shown in Fig. 3(b) and (c), respectively. According
to the analysis in Table 2, this device is powered by human operators not shown in the figure, and the motion is transmitted
by a pulley (link 2, KU ) and a tread (link 3, KT ) to act the wind instrument. The music generator system is composed of a
fixed can and a slider with a whistle (link 4, KP ). When the wheel is operated, the pulley rotates and makes the slider
moving down to make the air inside the can to flow through the whistle. And therefore, the instrument makes sounds.
In the same time, a bird puppet rotates through a pair of gears. The mechanical design of the puppet uses part of the
transmission system as indicated by the crossing dot line in its box in Fig. 3(b). Based on the arrangement in Table 1, in this
device, only one pitch of sounds is able to be made by the single whistle. Duration and intensity of the sound are related
to the velocity of the slider. If the operator rotates the wheel faster, the slider moves down with a higher velocity, and it
produces larger air flow rate through the whistle to give a louder sound with shorter duration of the mimicked tweet.
 Y.-H. Chen et al. / Mechanism and Machine Theory 121 (2018) 273–285 277

Fig. 3. Heron’s shrine with a singing and revolving bird: (a) renaissance reconstruction drawing [5], (b) structural block diagram, (c) modern mechanism
sketch.

Fig. 4(a) shows Kircher’s melody-playing bells. Its mechanical structure and mechanism sketch are shown in Fig. 4(b)
and (c), respectively. According to Tables 1 and 2, this mechanical percussion instrument device is powered by the hanging
weights, and the motion is transmitted by the combination of pulleys, ropes, gears, a cam (a cylinder with fillisters), linkages
(follower and mallet) and threads. When the weights fall down, the pulley with a gear (link 2, KU ) is rotated through the
rope and then it drives the cam (link 3, KA ). Therefore, the follower (link 4, KL1 ) gets into the fillister on the cylinder in the
arranged position, and it pulls the mallet (link 6, KL2 ) to strike the bell. In this device, since the bells are made in different
sizes, various pitches can be sounded. The duration of each sound is controlled by the arrangement of fillister, and the
intensity is related to the striking force.
The cam system in Kircher’s automata can be considered as one of the earliest programmable mechanical devices
[34] that are able to perform a complex procedure such as a melody. Moreover, the gravity of hanging weights provides
a stable power source to this device, and the gears decrease the rotating speed substantially to regulate the operation prop-
erly. This compact design can make the operation time long with a constant speed, so that it is possible to generate a
melody smoothly.
Fig. 5(a) shows an Al-Jazari’s musical automaton. On the left side there are four musician figures sitting on the boat,
two tambourine-player, a harp-player and a flute-player as mechanical puppets. This water-powered automaton transmits
its motion by a scoops-wheel, a rod with cams and the followers, by combining a water power system with a mechanical
transmission according to the scheme in Table 2. A water tank is set under the musician figures and makes the water to flow
down and drives the scoops-wheel. This wheel is connected to the rod and the cams (link 2, KA ). When the wheel rotates,
the followers (link 3, KL ) are driven and activate the figures. The mechanical structure and mechanism sketch are shown
in Fig. 5(b) and (c), respectively. It is a cam mechanism that moves the follower and figure’s arm as the same link in each
puppet. Therefore, the puppets are able to sound the instruments thanks to the arrangement of cams. Because the drawing is
278 Y.-H. Chen et al. / Mechanism and Machine Theory 121 (2018) 273–285

Fig. 4. Kircher’s melody-playing bells: (a) drawing [18], (b) structural block diagram, (c) mechanism sketch.

not fully clear, it is not possible to clearly differentiate the mechanical design of the puppets from the transmission system,
as indicate by crossing dot line in the box in Fig. 5(b).
As the scheme in Fig. 2 and Table 1, the tambourine-playing figures operate the percussion instruments. If the two
tambourines are in different sizes or tensions, different pitches of sounds are made. The harp-playing figure plays a string
instrument. The strings are in different lengths so that they make many sounds in various pitches within one plunk. Dura-
tion of the sounds by these three figures is controlled by the mechanical cam transmission, and the intensity is related to
 Y.-H. Chen et al. / Mechanism and Machine Theory 121 (2018) 273–285 279

Fig. 5. Al-Jazari’s boat with musician automata: (a) drawing [9], (b) structural block diagram, (c) mechanism sketch in each puppet player.

the striking or plucking force. The flute-playing figure operates a wind instrument, and it works with a vessel and a siphon
at the bottom of the boat. When the vessel is full, the contained water flows out through the siphon forcing the air flowing
through the pipe, and it pulls the whistle ball under the flute-playing figure. As a result, the sound is made [7]. There is
a single pitch of sound that is produced from the flute. The duration and intensity depend on the volume of vessel and
diameters of the siphon and pipe. Therefore, the flute-playing figure’s arm can be acted by the cam below, but sounds are
made through the siphon system.
Fig. 6(a) shows Hosokawa’s automaton with a tambourine and a flute. This spring-powered device transmits its motion by
a wheel with pins, followers, a thread and linkages. The mechanical transmissions are combined in the mechanical puppets,
with a structure according to the schemes in Table 2. In the tambourine mechanism, the follower (link 3, KL1 ) is driven by
the pins on the wheel (link 2, KA ), and it drives the linkage of hand (link 5, KL2 ) through a thread (link 4, KT ). The mechanical
structure and mechanism sketches are shown in Fig. 6(b)–(d), respectively. The sounds are made by the figure’s hand when
it beats the tambourine as a percussion instrument, Fig. 2(b). For the flute as wind instrument in Fig. 2(a), the follower (link
280 Y.-H. Chen et al. / Mechanism and Machine Theory 121 (2018) 273–285

Fig. 6. Hosokawa’s automaton with a tambourine and a flute: (a) drawings [19], (b) structural block diagram, (c) mechanism sketch of tambourine automa-
ton, (d) mechanism sketch of flute automaton.

6, KL3 ) is also driven by the pins on the wheel (link 2, KA ), and it drives the linkage (link 7, KL4 ) that is connected to the
slider (link 8, KP ). When the slider moves up and down, the air bag is compressed and released to make air flow through
the whistle to produce sounds. As the scheme in Table 1, this device makes single pitch of sounds through each of the two
instruments, respectively. Both duration and intensity of flute sound are related to the stroke and velocity of the slider. Since
this wind instrument is only sounded during the compression of airbag, the slower velocity or longer stroke could make a
longer duration. However, the faster velocity could make the intensity louder.
Fig. 7(a1 ) and (a2 ) show Da Vinci’s carts with mechanical drums illustrated in his manuscripts [15]. Both of these carts
can be identified as percussion instruments based on the classification in Fig. 2. Although neither the power source is not
shown in Fig. 7(a1 ) nor the transmission system is not illustrated clearly in Fig. 7(a2 ), these two drum devices are recognized
that their structures are similar to each other, as the block diagram shown in Fig. 7(b). In line with the automata shown in
Fig. 7, this percussion instrument device is driven by the rolling wheels, and transmits its motion through gears, a cam (a
cylinder with pins) and linkages (followers as sticks). When the cart is pulled, the gear (link 2, KG ) which is connected with
the wheels rotates and drives the cam through the other gear (link 3, KA ). Therefore, followers (link 4, KL ) are driven by the
pins on the cylinder in the arranged position to sound the drum, as the mechanism sketch shown in Fig. 7(c).
According to the arrangement in Table 1, the mechanical design parameters in these automata can be analyzed. For the
device drawn in Fig. 7(a1 ), the three drums with different size are able to make three pitches of sounds. On the contrary,
 Y.-H. Chen et al. / Mechanism and Machine Theory 121 (2018) 273–285 281

Fig. 7. Da Vinci’s machine drums: (a) drawings [15], (b) structural block diagram, (c) mechanism sketch.

only one pitch of sounds is made through the drum shown in Fig. 7(a2 ). For both of the automata, time arrangement of
each sound and their duration is controlled by the pins on the cylinder. Finally, the intensity is related to the striking force.
Fig. 8(a) shows a mechanical instrument composed of a steel music comb and a cylinder with pins, Fig. 2(d). Although it
is invented before Borgnis, he documented this music device in his literary books [24]. A structure analysis block diagram
and a mechanism sketch are shown in Fig. 8(b) and (c), respectively. According to the analysis in Table 2, this is a spring-
powered device that transmits its motion through a pair of gears. One gear attached to the spring barrel (link 2, KG ) and the
other connects with the cylinder (link 3, KC ). Moreover, there is a speed governor connect to the spring barrel with several
gears. It is a device to adjust the rotation speed of spring barrel. Through changing the angle of pieces on the governor, the
air resistance is increased or decreased to modify the rotation speed of the governor, therefore the release rate of spring
power can be adjusted.
Each tooth in the music comb is plucked by the pins on the cylinder in arranged position so that the device plays a
melody. Based on the scheme in Table 1, various pitch of sounds are able to be made through the set of music comb teeth
with various length. Duration is related to the arrangement of pins, and intensity is depended on the vibration amplitude.
Fig. 9(a) shows a clock with wooden flutes produced by James Newton (18th century, British). At the front side of the
clock, there is a theater screen to provide performance automatically. When it is switched on, this clock starts to play a
melody, a wind mill rotates at the background, and several cattle run along the horizontal direction, as shown in Fig. 9(a2 ).
Although we didn’t find any drawing to show all of the mechanical structures, this clock is still preserved in Palace Museum
in Beijing, China. A literal description was recorded by their maintenance division [29]. According to this record and a similar
music generator automaton presented in [26], analysis can be made through the scheme in Table 2. This device is powered
by clockwork spring, and the motion is transmitted by gears. The structural block diagram is shown in Fig. 9(b). For the
music generator, an airbag is driven by a linkage mechanism, as the sketch shown in Fig. 9(c1 ). Moreover, there are ten
wooden flutes with relevant valves (as Fig. 9(a3 ) shown) controlled by cam mechanisms, as Fig. 9(c2 ) shown.
For the mechanical puppets system, both the wind mill and cattle are driven through pulley mechanisms, as the sketch
shown in Fig. 9(c3 ).
At the scheme in Fig. 2 and Table 1, this device is a wind instrument. Since the flutes are made in different sizes, various
pitches can be sound. The duration of each sound is controlled by the arrangement of the pins on the cylinder through
opening or closing the valve of each flute. Finally, the intensity is depended on the air flow, and it is related to the motion
speed and rotation angle of the airbag linkage.
The summary of the structure analysis of these seven examples in Figs. 3–9 is listed in Table 3. In particular, the design
parameters are based on the physics of sound wave, as arrangement in Table 1. These seven music-playing automata show
different characteristics because they were created in different countries and time periods. However, the mechanical designs
of these music-playing automata can be recognized with common structure as outlined in the clarification Table 2. Moreover,
the mechanical structures and components used in automata can be understood through the analysis and classification as
proposed in Fig. 2 and Table 2.
282 Y.-H. Chen et al. / Mechanism and Machine Theory 121 (2018) 273–285

Fig. 8. A music box recorded by Borgnis: (a) drawing [24], (b) structural block diagram, (c) mechanism sketch.

Table 3
Structure analysis of the seven examples.

Automata Heron’s Kircher’s Al-Jazari’s musician Hosokawa’s Da Vinci’s Borgnis’s music J. Newton’s
shrine melody- boat drum-flute machine drums box wooden flutes
playing figure clock
bells

Time 1st century 17th 9th century 18th century 15th century 19th century 18th century
century
Area Greek Rome Arab Japan Western Europe Western Europe British
Power Manpower Weights Water Clockwork Rolling wheels Clockwork Clockwork
system spring spring spring
Music Wind Percussion Wind, percussion Wind and Percussion Steel music Wind
generator instrument instrument and string percussion instrument comb instrument
instruments instruments
Pulley and Pulley and N/A Gears Gears Gears Gears, cam,
Transmission rope rope linkages
system
Mechanical Gears N/A Cam and linkage Cam, thread N/A N/A Pulleys and
puppets and linkages chain
 Y.-H. Chen et al. / Mechanism and Machine Theory 121 (2018) 273–285 283

Fig. 9. J.Newton’s clock with wooden flutes: (a) photos [29], (b) structural block diagram, (c) mechanism sketches.
284 Y.-H. Chen et al. / Mechanism and Machine Theory 121 (2018) 273–285

5. Conclusions

Ancient music-playing automata reflect the development of science and technology through the ingenious creativity and
manufacturing at the subjects’ time period and area. Furthermore, these automata are the evidences of communication and
transmission tracks between western and eastern countries. For example, the wind instrument with siphon is started at the
area of Alexandria since ancient Greek period, and this kind of device is also found in Arabic literature in the 9th and 11th
centuries.
In eastern countries such as China and Japan, there were automata imported through missionary and traders after the
17th century, and then developed with their culture and characteristics.
Music-playing automata are related to a specific topic that is linked to the physics of sound and mechanical design.
Through analyzing the relationship between these two areas and listing the design parameters, it reflects the concept of
programmable devices in ancient time. An arrangement of structural analysis is helpful to clarify the various music automata
from the view point of mechanism design. Seven automata in several types are analyzed as examples of the classification
based on design parameters and structural analysis. And, the analysis and classification can be applied to other music-
playing automata by the characteristic structure with a power system, a music generator, a transmission, and mechanical
puppets.

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Ministry of Science and Technology (Taipei, Taiwan)under Grant MOST
105-2221-E-0 06-0 02 for the support of this work. The first author wishes to gratefully acknowledge the Ministry of Sci-
ence and Technology (Taipei, Taiwan) through grant MOST 105-2917-I-0 06-0 08 for permitting her period of study at LARM
of Cassino University in the A.Y. 2016–17 within a double PhD degree program.

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