oscar diaz and yuri suzuki : REC & PLAY pen
oscar diaz and yuri suzuki
image © designboom

london-based designers oscar diaz and yuri suzuki  have developed a REC & PLAY pen.
first step: to draw lines of magnetic ink, then the red pen records sound and finally the black pen plays the recorded sound.
designboom featured this work already in summer 2010, it now has been perfected.

oscar diaz and yuri suzuki : REC & PLAY pen
yuri suzuki with recording head and microphone pen

image © designboom

to reference and indicate each pen function, the pens use the color code of cassette recorders.
the REC pen is red, and the PLAY pen, black.
both pens are connected to a circuit board and a power supply to feed the electronic components.

oscar diaz and yuri suzuki : REC & PLAY pen
oscar diaz and yuri suzuki : REC & PLAY pen
oscar diaz and yuri suzuki : REC & PLAY pen
the red pen records while the black pen plays the sound back
photos by hitomi kai yoda

the recording head records the sound captured
by the microphone situated at the top part of the pen.
the black pen incorporates a speaker.

oscar diaz and yuri suzuki : REC & PLAY pen
the speaker pen
image © designboom

when the black pen’s head moves along the line the previously recorded
sound can be heard.

oscar diaz and yuri suzuki : REC & PLAY pen
the lines contain ferromagnetic ink and is made with components
previously used for cassette tapes

image © yuri suzuki

ferromagnetic ink is applied to paper.

oscar diaz and yuri suzuki : REC & PLAY pen
making of ferromagnetic ink
image © yuri suzuki

see how it works

REC & PLAY is a collaborative project between yuri suzuki and oscar diaz.
the designers met at london’s RCA and a while ago started tinkering with the intention to create an object that
would combine drawing and sound. technical advise was given by tim hunkin.

see more videos of the initial steps of development here and here.