Flat-panel speakers are nothing new, but a new version of the tech could one day replace boomy public address systems with hidden speakers that produce easier-to-hear audio in large spaces. Under development at the University of Warwick, FFL ("flat flexible loudspeaker") speakers are actually a thin laminate made of layers of conducting and insulating material that resonate when electricity is passed through them -- the crisper, clearer audio is a result of the entire surface creating sound in phase at once, which allows it to produce highly directional audio. Since they're so thin and flexible, FFL speakers can be hidden nearly anywhere -- behind signage, in the ceiling, or even painted and hung directly on the wall. Of course, this'll all come to nothing if the sound quality isn't up to snuff, but we'll find out more when the first commercial FFL product goes on sale later this year.
[Via
PhysOrg]
posted April 2nd 2009 9:47PM
I wonder how many more ways we can have commercials shoved up our ass. Never gonna get another moment of peace and quiet outdoors while McDonalds is touting its new burger or Walmart is declaring war on high prices...
+1000 I'm so tired of advertising EVERYWHERE!!!
All your base are belong to us!
...or we could spy on people without using obvious bugs.
Well said.
The people behind AdBlockPlus need to start developing a brain add-on.
In the public bathroom: "Is that toilet paper playing music?"
and suddenly "this song sounds like crap" isn't off the mark...
If your toilet paper looks like that, I must say, you are more of a man than I am.
I predict advertising in textbooks. If anyone actually utilizes this idea, I will hunt you down.
Now presenting... this square of aluminum foil!
haha, thats my project leader at uni.
So he DOES do something! I stand corrected.
This is fucking awesome
Just what we need, walls that will talk to and stop unsuspecting people like Alice in Wonderland..
Couldn't this be used in gadgets? Make the entire rear surface one.
Completely agree although I'd be worried about the speaker being easily damaged if it was behind anything at all.
Pimp my ride.
You guys fell for this? Shame on you Engadget... this is an April fool's day joke from yesterday.. not sure of the original source (wasn't physorg), but it is just aluminum foil.
Notice the lack of inputs. BBL with another pic...
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/9055/foilspeaker2.jpg
Actually, a few articles on this topic were published the 31st of march. Little early for an april fools :-)
I debated back and forth, but the source is the university itself, there really is a spinoff company called Warwick Audio tech, and the date on the PR is 3/31 -- all of which either makes this the best 4/1 ever, or actually real.
It's not just aluminum foil. It's thicker and it also has a circular pattern built into it. Take a look...
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/communications/medialibrary/images/mar09/pg180209-0055.jpg
Even if this particular story is an April Fools joke, flat speaker technology really is in development.
Here's a high-res image. Whatever it is, it's not aluminum foil.
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/communications/medialibrary/images/mar09/pg180209-0055.jpg
Haha, maybe it can be used by SBASAF: http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail138.html
Wireless power transmission must be an April Fools joke because it lacks inputs.
What kind of inputs do you expect? An RCA input? Normal speakers simply have speaker wire attached to them... two little copper wires easily could attach to that.
I already have flat speakers - they're made by NXT...
The big deal is bendable speakers flat speakers have been on the market for years, TDK make a range.
The reason he's holding a piece of foil and a piece of grease paper is that is was inspired him, at least read the bloody article.
That guy is saying "Hey! Who stole my sammich?!"
Funny thing is, I actually remember reading on slashdot way back like 10-12 years ago about a technology for doing this, and they were talking about consumer devices like TV's having the screen act as the speaker also.
It was right around when those little speakers you stuck to a surface like a window and plugged into USB, that used the surface as your speaker came out. they were slanging them on thinkgeek and were one of the very first products thinkgeek carried.
By the pic it looks like they rebranded aluminum foil.
new fat model heads could make engadget articles uglier
So i could do my walls, floor, and ceiling in this stuff and throw out the 7.1? Ha! That would be true surround... if they figure out a way to record for it.
advs89 @ Apr 2nd 2009 10:36PM
@crashboy: actually it would only be 7.0 because I'm assuming they have no way to play lows with this (granted, I'm no audio engineer).
Oh good... another excuse for retail stores to play high-pitched music without any lows (bass) whatsoever. I don't understand some people - playing music without lows is like washing someone's car but only washing the top half... it just doesn't make sense.
why would you wash the underside of your car?
i highly doubt that advertisers are going to care whether you can hear the bass in a spokesperson's voice as they cry out "BUY OUR PRODUCT NOW!!! ITS WHAT YOU NEED!!!"
@Spiraling Shape
To get the salt off
actually... there _are_ retail stores that play music without advertisements (Staples is one example). They play decent music (Coldplay, Five for Fighting, etc.) but they play it from what basically amounts to stock computer speakers mounted to the ceiling... It's also common in the JC Penney-esque clothing stores.
@crashboy: actually it would only be 7.0 because I'm assuming they have no way to play lows with this (granted, I'm no audio engineer).
oops... why didn't I just hit reply??
Fixed.
lol thanks...
Isn't "Flat Flexible Loudspeaker Speakers" a little redundant? I guess when I buy one, I'll have to use my PIN number when I get the required money out of the ATM machine. And then when I blog about them, I'll make sure to use CSS style sheets in my review. You think they run on AC current or DC current?
Hooray for RAS syndrome! (Redundant Acronym Syndrome Syndrome)
That's even more evidence suggesting it's an April Fool's Joke (besides, there's no way those pictures of that English guy could be serious)
I'm currently a physics student at Warwick and they're not really the sort of people to make April Fools jokes..
http://www.warwickaudiotech.com/
Plus it's been in development for a while. Kind of funny saying "hur hur, it's a sheet of aluminium foil" - what were you expecting from a speaker that's 0.2mm thick? It's thin, it's going to be a sheet of something - foil is better than paper!
I could see theme parks being interested in this. With as many times I've been to Disney or Six Flags I've gotten into a habit of playing "where are they hiding those speakers now?"
Now Mr. Six can wear them while he's harassing you for money.
The next iPod Shuffle will use this instead of earbuds, because people are tired of headphones that burn out or fall out. The new model will look like a bluetooth headset.