OT: Japanese Gadget...turns plants into speakers

By YURI KAGEYAMA, AP Business Writer

TOKYO - 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.

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