flexpeaker: paper-thin speakers could mean your e-newspaper might one day read itself to you

October 8th, 2009 comments stumble it! digg it! by: technabob

Wouldn’t it be cool if your could get some speakers that are even thinner than that ultra-slim flat TV you’ve got hanging on the wall? Well you might not have to wait long thanks to this new technology that produces speakers that are as thick as a sheet of paper. And did I happen to mention, they’re flexible too?

flexspeaker_paper_thin_speakers

Developed by Taiwan’s ITRI, fleXpeaker technology produces arrays of tiny speakers that can be joined together to make high-quality speakers of almost any size – meaning they could be the perfect companion for that unlimited-size OLED display you just covered your entire house with. While its frequency response doesn’t go below 500Hz, at least the fleXpeaker can reach highs up to 20 KHz.

The technology is designed to allow embedding of speaker elements into anything from everyday consumer electronics devices to massive posters and banner ads with built-in sound. fleXpeakers also consume very little power so could be perfect for other portable applications. Check out the video clip below to see (and hear) an early prototype of the fleXpeaker in action: