The days of Sony leading the pack in terms of innovative products on the retail market may be in the rear view mirror of history, but in the lab the company continues to push the boundaries of technology. The IP Music Player is an interactive concept music player that offers a new way to visually interact with your tunes.

Designed by Eijiro Mori and Takuo Ikeda the device employs a small stick that you insert into various spots on the IP Music Player's surface to generate sound and accompanying animations. The other version of the device reads virtual files placed on any desktop. If the functions sound a bit arcane you can check a video example of the technology at work here.

Via Sony