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New Entrant In the Race For Wafer-Thin Speakers

Posted by kdawson on from the dream-of-an-advertising-soundscape dept.

Smivs notes another technology aiming to become the ubiquitous flat, flexible loudspeaker in public and private spaces. This one comes out of the University of Warwick, in the UK, and may reach the market before year's end. We've discussed other attempts on this problem over the years, including a touch-sensitive display that is also a speaker, and an approach based on nanotubes. "The arrangement also allows for highly directional and accurate sound, say the researchers. The speakers would be ideal in public places such as passenger terminals since the sound quality does not deteriorate as much as conventional speakers... The flat speakers are relatively inexpensive to manufacture, say the researchers, and can be printed with design or concealed inside ceilings."

4 of 93 comments (clear)

  1. Quite clever by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 4, Insightful

    But I shudder to think of the eventual applications. Better speakers in space constrained devices are all well and good; but if there is one thing that public and quasi public spaces don't need, it is cheaper, more concealable, and more common speakers.

    1. Re:Quite clever by MightyYar · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I'm as cynical as the next guy, but I'm really having trouble imagining an application for these speakers that will be more annoying than the current speaker applications. A very loud speaker is not exactly big today... the stupid coupon machines in the grocery store already occasionally talk to you as you walk past.

      --
      W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
    2. Re:Quite clever by MightyYar · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Still not concerned?

      No.

      Powerful microphones are available that are very tiny and easily concealed. If someone really wanted to listen to me today, they could. It's not worth the effort, and frankly I don't say anything particularly interesting. If I were in the habit of talking about big secrets, I'd turn on a radio or something and keep my voice low.

      --
      W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
  2. Maybe louder won't be necessary by abarrow · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If they have improved sound quality, as they claim, perhaps we can have speaker in public places that won't need to be so loud and still be understood. One of the reasons speakers have to be so loud is that hey are so muddy and distorted that you can't understand them at lower levels. Also, if they are easier and cheaper to distribute, you can distribute the speakers and not have to turn up the speaker on one side of the space so that it can be understood on the other side of the space.

    I don't know about you guys, but when I'm in an airport or a train station, it's pretty important to me to understand what is being said on the loudspeakers. If that sound is coming off a nearby wall instead of a large horn 20 yards away, I think I have a better chance of getting to my plane on time.