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A new loudspeaker, less than 0.25mm thick, has been developed by Warwick University engineers using technology they say could signal the beginning of the end for conventional speakers.
The speakers are slim, flexible and lightweight and inexpensive to manufacture. They could be concealed inside ceiling tiles or car interiors, or printed with a design and hung on the wall like a picture.
A company, Warwick Audio Technologies, has been spun out to commercialise the speakers, with the support of the university’s technology transfer office, Warwick Ventures. The company has seed funding from Synergis Technologies and the Mercia Technology Seed Fund.
The company is currently in negotiations with a number of commercial partners and continues to welcome fresh approaches. It expects to launch its first commercial product following the next funding round later this year.
The company says that its Flat, Flexible Loudspeaker (FFL) is ideal for public spaces as it delivers planar directional sound waves, which project further than sound from conventional speakers.
Steve Couchman, CEO of Warwick Audio Technologies, believes the technology could entirely replace the speakers currently used in homes and in cars, as well as in public address systems. “Its size and flexibility means it can be used in all sorts of areas where space is at a premium.”
“Audio visual companies are investigating its use at 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.”
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