Flat new speakers to revolutionise acoustics
Thursday, 02 April 2009, 17:25 IST
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London: A flat new speaker so ultra-thin that four of them piled atop one another will be just one millimetre thick will vastly improve acoustics and the quality of public announcements. Lightweight and low cost, these flexible speakers can be concealed inside ceiling tiles or car interiors, or printed with a design and hung on the wall like a picture. Pioneered by the University of Warwick's spin-out company Warwick Audio Technologies, the Flat, Flexible Loudspeaker (FFL) is ideal for public spaces where it delivers planar directional sound waves, which reach further and more clearly than sound from conventional speakers. Steve Couchman, CEO of Warwick Audio Technologies, believes it could entirely replace the speakers currently used in homes and in cars, as well as in public address systems used in passenger terminals and shopping centres. "We believe this is a truly innovative technology. Its size and flexibility means it can be used in all sorts of areas where space is at a premium," Couchman was quoted as saying in a Warwick release. Audio visual companies are investigating its use as point of sale posters for smart audio messaging and car manufacturers are particularly interested in it for its light weight and thinness, which means it can be incorporated into the headlining of cars rather than lower down in the interior. The product is slated for commercial launch later this year.
Source: IANS
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