Magnetic Stories transforms the audio of scary Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines, which can be louder than a military jet, into beautiful children’s audiobooks.

With Magnetic Stories, Siemens Healthineers, a top MRI manufacturer, changes the way that hospitals, radiologists, parents, and children interact with their product. It is no longer a giant, cold, scary machine, it is a gateway to a delightful experience for children, allowing pediatric patients to immerse themselves in original stories during their scans, easing their fears about the MRI machines and contributing to their health journey overall.

Siemens Healthineers’s MRIs have the Conformité Européenne (CE) mark and 510(k) certification for clinical use in Europe. Magnetic Stories don’t interfere with the machine’s functionalities or with the clinical results and doesn’t require a separate certification.

Cancer is the leading cause of deaths for children and teenagers in Portugal, with more than 400 new cases every year (in a country with 11 million people). The survival rate in the country is around 85%, but the consequences of treatment are responsible for a lower quality of life for 2/3 of survivors.

Getting an MRI is a scary experience for most children. Radiology technicians usually prefer to have patients under 12 fully sedated with general anesthesia, in order to help them get through the anxiety-inducing experience. For kids over 12, more than 85% report having a fear of the MRI machine due to the noises.

Siemens Healthineers, the major manufacture of MRI machines in Europe, was in a prime position to help turn this negative experience with their product around. And Leya, one of Portugal’s leading children’s book publishers, was an obvious choice to help bring Magnetic Stories to life, as it enabled us to bring something kids already love into an experience that frightens them, and make it more pleasant using the power of innovation and storytelling.

Magnetic Stories is a unique audiobook collection that transforms a scary MRI into a wondrous experience for younger patients.

Every MRI scan makes a unique sequence of sounds, so it is possible to predict when each of them will occur in the scan. We collected the sound sequences of the most common pediatric MRI scans (cranial, liver, spine, sela turcica, and ears) and, in partnership with renowned authors and sound designers, produced audiobooks that synch story moments precisely with each sound of the scan.

With Magnetic Stories, we are giving new and delightful meaning to all MRI noises –turning the fastspin echo beeping noise into a cute robot talking, and turning the constant pumping noise of the helium recondenser from the cold head into the sound of a flying train, for example.

Siemens Healthineers is constantly bringing breakthrough innovations to market. This can mean employing the latest AI technology to increase scan speed and improve image quality of its MRIs. But it can also mean leveraging the power of storytelling to improve patient experience. This was our goal with Magnetic Stories, a library of unique audiobooks crafted to integrate the sounds of the most common pediatric MRI scans, turning their dreadful sounds into a delightful narrative.

Siemens Healthineers launched Magnetic Stories at CUF, Portugal’s leading hospital network and it’s now available at all 25 CUF hospitals and clinics.

The next step is expanding to Spain, using the Iberian Peninsula as the launch pad for other European countries like Germany, Italy, and the UK..

The pilot project was a success, helping Siemens Healthineers establish its brand as one of the most innovative MRI manufacturers. The Magnetic Stories audiobooks transcended the hospital setting and are now available at Leya’s online store on Kobo, which is evidence that the stories aren’t just good in the context of an MRI, they are just good stories that kids love.

Some patients need to repeat exams every two months, so an initiative like this becomes a powerful ally throughout their care journey. With Magnetic Stories, we are turning every MRI scan into an experience of magic and wonder.

Article 19 of the Portuguese Advertising Code, which rules Healthcare/RX/Pharma communications, solely prohibits “advertising for medical treatments and medicines that can only be obtained with a prescription,” which is not the case for Magnetic Stories.

Magnetic Stories is a library of children’s audiobooks that transforms scary MRI noises into a wondrous experience. Our target audience is diverse, covering pediatric patients and their parents, as well radiologists and hospital purchasing departments.

Synopsis:

Inspired by the rhythmic beat of the Cold-Head's melody echoing

through the MRI chamber ("tch-tch-tch"), the captivating tale

of an old coal-driven locomotive emerges. Its wheels may be

bound to the tracks, yet its spirit transcends, flying high in

the sky where dreams usually live. With creativity as its fuel,

the locomotive breaks free from the limits of Earth, opening

its wings to carry us all on a magnificent odyssey across galaxies.

Musical intro.

“Siemens Healthineers and Leya present: The Flying Train

Written by Viton Araújo

Read by Vince Melamed”

00:35 – 1:35

MRI sounds: During the first part, we only hear the “tch-tch-tch”

sound from the Cold Head.

In days of old, a train’s tale is told,

Its heavy wheels on tracks forever roll.

Yet in its mind, it flies so free,

Beyond the clouds, beyond the sea,

To lands unseen, where dreams unfold.

On a plain Wednesday, nothing grand in sight,

Carrying Marias and Josés day and night.

When suddenly, a surprise appears in the clear light.

A shiny stone, big as it can be,

Crossed the sky for all to see.

With a mighty bang, louder than speakers loud,

Startling the people, gathering a crowd.

SFX: sound design of a meteor crossing the skies.

The giant rock,

spared our train (thank God, no shock).

Yet, it smashed meters of tracks ahead,

Oh, what a mess it spread!

SFX: sound design of a huge impact.

1:24 – 2:32

MRI sounds: On top of the “tch-tch-tch”, a “plim” sound starts.

Without a clue, no explanation near,

A timid "plim" whispers, soft and clear.

Was it a bird, a buzzing bee?

No, the mystery lies within the stone, you’ll see.

Though still, our train's whistle kept its cry,

the "tch-tch" mixed with a curious sigh,

Could anyone else hear?

The train didn’t know, but the adventure was near.

The train listened close, feeling quite impressed,

Yet its whistle sounded off, a little distressed.

If only it could travel faster, not stuck to the tracks,

Flying freely, without looking back

Suddenly, a bright light from the meteor hits our train

right on its front, on its face!

2:33 – 2:52

MRI sounds: “Uom-uom-uom-uom!”

2:53 – 3:05

MRI sounds: “Tch-tch-tch” and “toin-toin-toin”

A magical transformation was taking place.

The train's wheels disappeared; wings grew full of grace.

Next to the coal engine's roar…

3:06 – 3:10

MRI sounds: Taaaaaam

3:11 – 3:19

…turbines arose, mightier than a jet's soar.

"For our train to turn into a rocket's glow,

Wasn't long now, don't you know..."

3:20 – 3:31

MRI sounds: Uin-uin-uin-uin-uin

3:32 – 3:43

MRI sounds: Tch-tch/ Toin-toin

The train always rusty and old

Was now covered with a brand-new metal, shiny and bold.

The countdown to lift-off began, we're told!

3:43 – 3:47

MRI sounds: “tic-toc” as a clock

5, 4, 3, 2, 1........

3:48 – 4:38

MRI sounds: UEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUUEUE

While that long MRI sound plays, we hear some phrases relating to

the rocket train taking off in the background (in that ground

control effect).

“L-MINUS O SECONDS”

”BOOSTER INGNITION AND LIFT OFF!”

“CABIN PRESSURE NORMAL”

“CLOSE AND LOCK YOUR VISORS”

“ALTITUDE 10,000 FEET AND CLIMBING”

“T-PLUS 58 SECONDS”

“TRANS-LUNAR INJECTION BURN INITIATED”

“BOOSTING SPEED FROM 17.500 TO 22.600 MILES PER HOUR”

“SLS NOMINAL, PROCEED WITH SPACE MISSION”

4:38 - 4:47

MRI Sounds

The laser stops abruptly, and the clock starts over again.

The first space flight,

Was a success, to our delight.

Far from the rails, close to a shiny star,

It was beautiful to see the train flying so far.

4:48 – 4:49

MRI sounds: “Uem-uem-uem”

4:50 – 4:57

But what was that sound after all?

Near our hero, crossed a laser beam almost fatal.

4:57 – 5:00

MRI sounds: UEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUUEUE

5:01 – 5:08

Dodging every laser, in a marvelous dance,

Our hero sailed on, with great advance.

5:08 – 5:12

MRI sounds: UEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUUEUE

5:13 – 5:18

Was this a space war, perhaps?

Between good and evil, a terrible clash!

05:19 – 05:23

MRI sounds: UEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUUEUE

05:24 – 05:30

They weren’t aiming our train

But attacking a little planet, a pink domain

05:31 – 05:34

MRI sounds: UEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUUEUE

05:35 – 05:41

Without fearing the crossfire's cry,

The winged train gained the pink planet’s sky

05:42 – 05:45

MRI sounds: UEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUUEUE

05:47 – 05:52

In the ‘lil’ planet,

They were all friendly, fluffy, and sweet.

Who would want to do them any harm, to mistreat?

05:53 – 05:56

MRI sounds: UEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUUEUE

05:57 – 06:03

Guided by its heart's beat,

The train boarded the lovely creatures,

as soft as cotton, and so neat!

06:04 – 06:07

MRI sounds: UEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUUEUE

06:08 – 06:14

They were like tiny white clouds, fitting in the palm of a hand,

With just one eye and a mouth repeating "Lulu!", "Lulu!"

without end.

06:15 – 06:17

MRI sounds: UEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUUEUE

06:18 – 06:24

With over a thousand "Lulus" aboard the space train,

In a phenomenal escape, they broke the spaceships chain!

06:25 – 06:28

MRI sounds: UEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUUEUE

06:29 – 06:35

MRI sounds: Toc-toc-toc

What did all those gray ships want in the sky?

With their laser beams tearing planets like paper, oh my!

06:36 – 06:39

MRI sounds: EUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUUEUE

06:40 – 06:46

Did they aim to erase all that's bright and gay?

To turn the cosmos colorless, in their way?

06:48 – 06:50

MRI sounds: UEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUUEUE

06:51 – 06:58

The gray planets were let be,

But Lulu’s pink planet was facing hardships so tough,

The train thought it's had enough.

06:59 – 07:02

MRI sounds: UEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUUEUE

07:03 – 07:09

Tired of running away, the train had a brilliant idea,

Brighter than the brightest star, it was crystal clear.

07:10 – 07:12

MRI sounds: UEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUUEUE

07:13 – 07:19

It remembered the most colorful sight it ever saw, so grand!

The Northern Lights, at a magical land!

07:20 – 07:24

MRI sounds: UEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUUEUE

07:25 – 07:31

The Lulus started to cheer.

They could see the light show getting near and near.

SFX: Wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

07:32 – 07:35

MRI sounds: UEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUUEUE

07:36 – 07:42

The train's main door opened wide,

Dragging all boreal colors inside.

07:43 – 07:45

MRI sounds: UEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUUEUE

07:46 – 07:53

Outside, the Space War still went on,

Inside, the Lulus sang their lucky song.

07:54 – 08:08

We hear the melody of a classical track sang with “Lulu”

vocalizations, crisscrossed with MRI UEUEUEUEUEUE sound:

“Lu-lu-lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu-lu

Lu-lu-lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu-lu

Lu-lu-lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu-lu

Lu-lu-lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu-lu”

“Lu-lu-lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu-lu

Lu-lu-lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu-lu

Lu-lu-lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu-lu

Lu-lu-lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu-lu”

08:09 – 08:15

The smart train sailed throughout space.

Releasing the borealis colors with all their grace.

08:16 – 08:19

MRI sounds: UEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUEUUEUE

08:23 – 08:33

Painting gray ships, as if in a dance.

The spaceships that were colored wanted peace back.

The ones still gray continued their attack.

08:35 – 10:54

MRI sounds: “Uooommmmmmm!”

While we hear the long MRI sound, pop up in the background

communication between “Lulu” pilots fighting the gray spaceships.

“Gray ship on the starboard side, prepare a happy rocket in the

color of pistachio ice cream”

“Gray ship to port, launch all-out fuchsia fancy attack!”

“Let’s keep on coloring all the gray ships ahead,

c’mon step on the gas pedal”!

And turn on the radio with heavy metal!

“Gray mothership ahead, prepare a happy mega bomb with all the

colors of the rainbow!”

10:55 – 11:17

Throughout the galaxy echoed a blast,

A colorful bomb crossed the space so fast

Hitting the enemy's mothership, once gray and cold,

Now turned lime green, a sight to behold!

While the last gray ships became colored with joy

The Lulus sang their celebratory song, dear girl or boy

12:09- 13:30

MRI sounds: toc-toc then UEUEUEUEUEUUE

Crisscrossed with the MRI sounds, we hear the Lulus’ lucky song.

“Lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu

Lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu

Lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu

Lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu”

“Lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu

Lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu

Lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu

Lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu”

13:32 – 13:36

"King Lulu blew his famed Horn,

Honoring Lulus, who sang till morn."

13:41 – 15:08

MRI sounds: “Taaaaaammmmmmmmmmmm!”

While we hear the loud MRI sound, we hear Lulu’s celebratory

song, Johan Strauss’ “Can-Can”.

“Lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu

Lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu

Lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu

Lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu”

“Lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu

Lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu

Lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu

Lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu lu-lu-lu”

15:09 – 15:28

King Lulu blew his horn until his breath was gone.

Sounding through the space a beautiful song

It was his way to say, "Thank you so much,

You are a hero for saving our planet with your touch

And will be remembered forever as such!"

15:33- 17:20

MRI sounds: UEM-UEM-UEM-UEM-UEM!

While we hear the noise of the MRI, we hear sounds from the

control/pilot cabin.

Let the turbines roar, fulfill the dream!

Set the flying train to its fastest stream!

Up we rise, feeling so free,

Autopilot's on, let's just be!

Saturn, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Pluto, all the Milky Way!

This tale might end, yet the universe's beauty is here to stay.

Forward, companions, let's take a million flights,

To paint the cosmos with our colorful lights!

Attention captain, meteor shower ahead.

Shields up now, protect our heads!

SFX: the sound of a meteor shower stopped by a shield.

Attention: the train draws close to a planet. Beware!

Swiftly, pilot, dodge this planet and that comet in the air!

We're free from danger now, let's sail through infinity!

The cosmic space is ours, and oh, it's such a beauty!

17:22- 18:15