The Hindu : International : Music through a bouquet

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 14, 2004

International

International

Music through a bouquet

A company staff member listens to music through a bouquet of yellow calla lilies during a demonstration of Ka-on in Tokyo on Monday. - AP

TOKYO, SEPT. 13. The therapeutic power of flowers takes a technological twist with a Japanese gadget that turns them into audio speakers, making the petals and leaves tremble with good vibrations.

The machine, called Ka-on, which means ``flower sound'' in Japanese, consists of a doughnut-shaped magnet and coil at the base of a vase that hooks up to a CD player, stereo set or TV.

Place the flowers in the vase, turn on Ka-on and the magnet and coil relay the sound vibrations up the stems through the plant's water tubes. Bring your ear near a flower, and hear the music come from the petals like a decorative earphone. Touch a leaf, and feel it shake as though in a quiet dance.

Later this month, you will be able to carry on a telephone conversation with a flower with a speaker phone model.

Unlike regular speakers, which send sound in one direction, Ka-on shoots sound in all directions, filling an entire room with music in a more natural ambience.

Masumi Gotoh, president of Let's Corp., a Nagoya-based telecommuncations-equipment company that developed and manufactures Ka-on, says the set-up is ideal as gifts, 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 (about Rs. 2,070) to $460. There is a version that works with potted plants, and a wireless LAN (local area network) version will be available soon.

Not only does Ka-on deliver flowery music, it keeps bugs off plants and helps cut flowers last longer, according to Mr. Gotoh.

``The plant is happy listening to music,'' he says, displaying a rubber plant hooked up to Ka-on in his Tokyo office. ``Gerberas and sunflowers work especially well as speakers.''

Flower speakers are kinder on the ears than regular speakers and suited for the elderly, he said.

About 3,000 of the $46 version, on sale via the Internet since July, have been sold. Some 10,000 more orders have been received.

A poinsettia Ka-on will go on sale ahead of Christmas.

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. — AP

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