Back posting: On my trips to the Media Lab, I like to visit design engineer and artist Kelly Dobson to check on the progress of her creations. Kelly left an impression on me after my first visit because her sweet, gentle nature, and child-like engagement with technology stands out in a sea of rational innovation in the lab. In the first photo, she is showing me the new version of Blendie 2000 that doesn't require an external microphone. Blendie listens for and tracks a specific pitch out of human vocalization and responds appropriately by activating it's motor. This is what Kelly calls machine therapy where humans are invited to actively engage and empathize with machines to better understand them.

But I'm really enchanted with Screambody, the first in a series of wearable or hugable body organs. The basic function of Screambody is deliciously simple. It's a cloth or fur covered foam pod that you strap to your chest. There's an opening at the top. Let's say you are in a meeting that's going badly and you feel like screaming (been there?). Just press your face to the opening and squeeze the Screambody to activate record mode. Let out your scream to the fullest and squeeze again to stop recording. Now you can take your recorded scream outside for playback and release. Best of all, you can replay the scream release to blast someone repeatedly. In photo 2, Kelly is showing off the prototype of the kid's version! I made her to promise to help me build one for Cianna. Then I can tell other parents that I have scientists at MIT building toys for my daughter.

- mike lee - at the hotel bar at the westin palo alto, ca