From: Peñá, Botp [mailto:botp / delmonte-phil.com] 
# scan+map since i don't need the formatting 
# (and the require ;-)
# 001:0> "1234".scan(/\d/).map(&:to_i)
# => [1, 2, 3, 4]

arggh, 1.9 is getting better,

002:0> "1234".each_char.map(&:to_i)
=> [1, 2, 3, 4]

very readable, imho

kind regards -botp