Additional audio clips Streaming video

Expanded related sites Next Week

Gan demonstrates the musical playpen

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts (CNN) -- Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab are digitizing familiar sounds, and using the digitized information to create futuristic toys that make music.

Take the familiar sound of a rattle, for example.

Researchers attached a wire to a rattle to record the sound of the object and transfer that shaking sound to a digitizer. The digitizer transfers the digitized sound to the computer. ( 19 K/2 sec. AIFF or WAV sound)

Once the information is stored in the computer, researchers can create toys that utilize the same sound. So, whether you are an adult or a toddler, when you pick up a "rattle" in the MIT Media Lab, you can tap it, bang your head on it, or do just about anything to it and you'll get that "rattle" sound.

RELATED VIDEO
CNN's Ann Kellan reports on digital music
Real	28K	56K
Windows Media	28K	56K

If that's not cool enough for you, check out the musical playpen.

The playpen has been filled with balls that contain digitized music sounds. When you crawl into the playpen and jostle the balls, sensors in the balls pick up your movement and play back music. ( 58 K/5 sec. AIFF or WAV sound)

MIT music physicist Seum-lim Gan likens the experience to swimming in a musical pool.

"As you swim around, like you are swimming in water and your movement will be interpreted by the computer and that will create the music that you hear," Gan explained to CNN.

The experience is an instant hit with kids, Gan said.

"They like to make music in this and, best of all, they don't want to get out once they get the hang of it. We have to pull them out," he said. ( 102 K/9 sec. AIFF or WAV sound)

Kids playing music in the more traditional way

Another idea under development at the MIT Media Lab could make most anyone relive a childhood moment.

Have you ever squeezed Jell-O between your fingers? If so, you may recall an unusual squishy feeling and a rather extensive mess.

Using real Jell-O, the researchers have found a way to give you that sensation, without the mess. The invention is called a "squeezable." Each "squeezable" resembles a brightly decorated ball about the size of a racquetball.

When you squeeze a "squeezable," you enjoy that mushy Jell-O feeling, and you hear music!

"We tried many different kinds of materials like foam or soft plastic and we reached the conclusion that Jell-O is the most responsive one," research assistant Gil Weinberg said about the lab's unusual choice for a toy-filling. ( 30 K/3 sec. AIFF or WAV sound)

RELATED VIDEO
A "squeezable" demonstration
Real	28K	56K
Windows Media	28K	56K

Like the balls in the playpen, the "squeezables" are equipped with sensors.

"So, it gives you continuous control," Weinberg said. "When I squeeze the Jell-O, the Jell-O squeezes the pressure sensors."

Squeezables

These futuristic toys from MIT would likely make unusual and enticing holiday gifts, but you won't find them on store shelves this holiday season.

Researchers say it will be at least a year before the toys will be available to the public.

Correspondent Ann Kellan contributed to this report.

Search CNN by           Enter keyword(s)       go    help