Casio integrates LCD and speaker
By Liam McNulty 
posted October 1st 2005 9:00AM
posted October 1st 2005 9:00AM
Casio has debuted their attempt at integrating an LCD screen with some speakers. They haven't come up with a catchy title for it just yet (like NEC calling similar technology from NXT "SoundVu"), but it's a fairly novel approach: rather than throwing a transparent substrate in front of the LCD to act as a speaker, they've placed piezoelectric ceramic speakers behind the screen. We won't go into the gory details of exactly what "piezoelectric" means (not that we really know), but the end result is a 2.5" LCD with a 3.2mm thickness and stereo audio output of up to 92dB. Pink musical notes not included.
Something with piezoelectric properties will slightly change shape when an electric current is applied to it. Make that an oscillating current, and voila. Speakers.
(Conversely, the same item will give off an electric current when stress is applied. Piezoelectricity is fun!)
This is really incredible technology.
Once Sony gets involved in it and amp's up the volume we could have LCD displays in stores, personal computers and even cars and aircraft with a space saving design since you won't need speakers for them.
I would imagine their power consumption would be much lower than current speaker technology.
"Pink musical notes not included"
Wtf!? That's shit! Im not gettin it then!!
"This is really incredible technology."
Sure is!
"This is really incredible technology"
Not really. In fact, not at all. Pizeospeakers are, by their very nature, very very very flat and thin about half the thickness of a postcard. At the very least glueing one to the back of an LCD would 'integrate pizeo speakers into an LCD display'.
Now, while the article is in japanese, and my japanese aint what it should be - the picture is at least viewable (the cutaway of the substrate). There does not appear to be any magic in this device. No cutting edge technology - just packaging. No new technologies nor components were created to pull this off - just a nifty design of integrating a LCD, backlight and (already super thin) speakers. If anything any *technology* might be applied to getting a descent stereo spread when holding it at arms length - but I don't see any real mention of that nor does the diagram suggest such a design (doesn't appear to be any audio waveguides that would direct a signal to proper stereo separation).
So in general... astonishing? earth-breaking? unbelievable technology? Nope, just packaging that they'll patent to keep others from using a bit of glue.
Wake me up when it *is* earthshatering.
Relax, David. This website isn't just about the revolutionary; it's sometimes also about the *evolutionary*. What this is is a clever merger of recent (but not FOB) technology, and some of us are slapping ourselves thinking "why didn't I think of that".
They should name it the Audi-see.
It doesn't take much time to come up with a name.
The cool thing about piezoelectric is that the speaker can also be used as a microphone.
And as for *ground breaking* maybe they found the way to make it thinner by using the space behind the lcd as a sound chamber. If I know my piezo electrics, and I don't, you need a 2mm sound chamber to get a decent sound (low frequencies).
Wonder if high sound levels will distort the screen in any way....but then again consumers may think they had too much coffee.
Hope this is in my next cellphone. Bigger screens, and no worrying about whether the 'sweet spot' has moved off your ear 'cause the phone jiggled.