Found this on vimeo.com. Basically a device analyzes an input source and detects and pitch and rhythm that it can from the source. It then takes that information and replicates it as best as it can. In the video it uses this magnetic electric guitar and some percussion. It doesn’t sound particularly like the audio clip to me, although I can hear the pitch similarities.

I remember watching a Disney Sing-a-Long tape as a kid and they did this short segment where the professor dude played back everything this one guy was saying on his saxophone. That sounded closer than this because they took care to match the pitch exactly. While I’m sure this instrument is playing back the “melody” of the speech 100% relative to the actual pitch, it is not the exact same pitch. Follow? Eh, probably not. Whatever, just watch the video!

From the site:
“Simple automatic instruments are constructed from local materials and objects on site. The system learns the sounds it can make by trying out its instruments, and then uses its range of sounds to try to reproduce the rhythmic and melodic qualities of sounds such as the voices of visitors. It then loops and alters these imitative sequences into improvised compositions”