Invisible Speakers

[Smokey]

Previewed in this year’s Consumer Electronics Show from Emo Labs, it’s a new technology from for loudspeakers that is called Edge Motion. Emo says that Edge Motion lets it build “invisible loudspeakers” for incorporation into TVs, computer displays, notebooks, and another devices with screens.

Standard loudspeakers reproduce sound by moving a cone back and forth. Edge Motion does the job by using arrays of motors to wiggle the edges of a clear membrane. The motor arrays can be built into the frame that surrounds a TV or monitor, and the clear membrane sits in front of the screen–as it utilizes the screen real estate that’s already there.







Emo plans to sell the speakers to consumer electronics manufacturers who will embed them in their products. The company says that it hopes that TVs will be ready in time for Christmas, but availability might slip into 2010.

Over time, Emo has hopes of putting Edge Motion into just about any device that has a screen and a need for sound, including pocketable gizmos such as cell phones.

http://technologizer.com/2009/01/26/...eyreinvisible/

[Mr Peabody]

That's wild, I wonder how they sound and what the frequency range is.

[atomicAdam]

Wonder how they sound?

Look at the target gizmos..

Over time, Emo has hopes of putting Edge Motion into just about any device that has a screen and a need for sound, including pocketable gizmos such as cell phones.

Probably not that good.

[Smokey]

Wonder how they sound?

Probably not that good.

The guy who heard it at CES (link at bottom of post) was very impress with the sound.

He said and I quote:"....they showed me a Diana Krall concert on an ordinary-looking medium-sized flatscreen TV, and the sound was big enough that I wondered if they’d tucked a multi-piece speaker system with a subwoofer out of sight. Another demo involving a 15-inch LCD such as the ones built into notebooks was equally impressive."

I am not sure about their frequecy response, but here is their web site for more info. I imagine sound will be mid-fi at best, but probably perfect for TV or computer sound.

http://www.emolabs.com/

[atomicAdam]

The guy who heard it at CES (link at bottom of post) was very impress with the sound.

He said and I quote:"....they showed me a Diana Krall concert on an ordinary-looking medium-sized flatscreen TV, and the sound was big enough that I wondered if they’d tucked a multi-piece speaker system with a subwoofer out of sight. Another demo involving a 15-inch LCD such as the ones built into notebooks was equally impressive."

I am not sure about their frequecy response, but here is their web site for more info. I imagine sound will be mid-fi at best, but probably perfect for TV or computer sound.

http://www.emolabs.com/

That is cool - cause laptop speakers are pretty much worthless - sounds like these would be a hell of an improvement.

[Mr Peabody]

Makes you wonder what innovations are around the corner for audio. Can you imagine these things around your room, no one can see them, working with your HT system? If we could just get a high quality alternative to hard wires to speakers.

[Smokey]

If we could just get a high quality alternative to hard wires to speakers.

The technology do exist to get rid of hard wires for speakers, but it is going to be expensive. Which mean each speaker have to have their own built in amp, and wireless transmitter from the source.

[E-Stat]

The technology do exist to get rid of hard wires for speakers, but it is going to be expensive. Which mean each speaker have to have their own built in amp, and wireless transmitter from the source.

Interesting concept, but one that shares the same issue with dynamic speakers: only a fraction of the radiating area is actively driven thus requiring the diaphragm to be sufficiently stiff. And flexed by motors?

I look forward to the day when massless force field speakers exist. Like a really practical set of Nelson Pass' experiment with ionic speakers. The device is run full range and the entire area is driven for linearity.

Pass Ion Speaker

rw

[Smokey]

I look forward to the day when massless force field speakers exist.

I don't know if that day will ever come. The way our ears are designed (ear drum), a device is always needed to create sound [pressure] waves.

[E-Stat]

I don't know if that day will ever come. The way our ears are designed (ear drum), a device is always needed to create sound [pressure] waves.

I guess it depends upon your definition of a "device". There have been a few successful ion plasma tweeters produced over the years that are massless. The Hill Plasmatronics speaker had a wonderful tweeter. The Acapella tweeter is in current production. The trick has always been extending the concept to a full range device.

Ion Tweeter

rw

[Ajani]

Interestingly, my first concerns with these speakers were not how they affect sound quality but how they affect the image on the screen... I have to wonder whether a constantly vibrating/flexing sheet of clear plastic would not draw attention to itself/distort the image in some way...

[Rudy Gireyev]

Interestingly, my first concerns with these speakers were not how they affect sound quality but how they affect the image on the screen... I have to wonder whether a constantly vibrating/flexing sheet of clear plastic would not draw attention to itself/distort the image in some way...

That's funny as I thought about that too. However, I wonder if the speaker can be mounted behind the screen instead of in front of it. It might make the screen a little thicker of course, or perhaps not. But this is a great idea, whose time has come. I think this would be a great technology not only for the computers but for the car audio as well. As there's never enough room in the car to put all the stereo components necessary to build a good system. Here's one hoping this becomes a reality sooner rather than later.

Rudy

[JoeE SP9]

Nelson Pass' ionic speaker produced such large amounts of Ozone that he needed hospitalization after using them for a while.

[E-Stat]

Nelson Pass' ionic speaker produced such large amounts of Ozone that he needed hospitalization after using them for a while.

Exactly! That's why I said *practical*.

BTW, he seems to be doing great these days with not only Pass Labs, but the expansion of his "kitchen table" First Watt brand. There's a nice article here about current goings on. I had to smile when I saw the Stokowski Absolute Sound poster hanging on the wall in his listening area. It is in mine, too.

rw

[Smokey]

I guess it depends upon your definition of a "device". There have been a few successful ion plasma tweeters produced over the years that are massless.

I guess you can call Ion Plasma Tweeters a "device" since it convert arc energy into sound waves. Push and pull of the arc moves air at high frequencies.