[windows2000] OT: Japan Gadget Turns Plants Into Speakers
- From: "Jim Kenzig http://thin.net" <jimkenz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, windows2000@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2004 13:50:25 -0400
Real flower power....now I have seen it all..
Jim
Sep 14, 9:01 AM EDT
Japan Gadget Turns Plants Into Speakers
By YURI KAGEYAMA
AP Business Writer
TOKYO (AP) -- The therapeutic power of flowers takes on new meaning with a
Japanese gadget that turns plants into audio speakers, making the petals and
leaves tremble with good vibrations.
Called Ka-on, which means "flower sound" in Japanese, the machine consists
of a donut-shaped magnet and coil at the base of a vase that hooks up to a
CD player, stereo or TV.
Place the flowers into the vase, turn on Ka-on and the magnet and coil relay
the sound vibrations up the stems through the plant's water tubes.
Near your ear and hear the music emanate from the petals. Touch a leaf, and
feel it shake as though in a quiet dance
Later this month, you'll be able to carry on a telephone conversation with a
flower with a planned speaker phone model.
Unlike regular speakers, which send sound in one direction, Ka-on shoots it
in all directions, filling an entire room with music in a more natural
ambiance.
Masumi Gotoh, president of Let's Corp., a Nagoya-based
telecommuncations-equipment company that developed and manufactures Ka-on,
calls it ideal for flower table-arrangements at weddings, reception desks at
hospitals and decoration at restaurants.
Ka-on vases and amplifiers come in various sizes, ranging in price from $46
to $460. There's a version that works with potted plants, and a wireless
connection will soon be available for piping music to the Ka-on.
Not only does Ka-on deliver flowery music, it keeps bugs off plants and
helps cut flowers last longer, Gotoh claims.
"The plant is happy listening to music," says Gotoh, showing off a rubber
plant hooked up to Ka-on in his Tokyo office. "Gerberas and sunflowers work
especially well as speakers."
Ka-on is also being used for concerts. Several Ka-on were planted near a
bamboo grove to play music at a recent event in Japan.
About 3,000 of $46 Ka-on version, on sale via the Internet since July, have
been sold and some 10,000 orders have been received so far.
---
On the Net:
Let's Corp.: <http://www.lets-co.co.jp/english/index.htm>
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