Next-gen speaker technology beams music and speech to one listener without bothering anyone nearby
POSTECH researchers developed an ultrasound-based speaker that directs music and speech toward one listener while keeping sound from spreading widely around them.
Headphones can become uncomfortable after extended use, and speakers usually disturb those nearby with their audible output. Researchers at Pohang University of Science and Technology have developed a novel speaker called MiPAL that utilizes ultrasound to direct sound toward a single listener without impacting others. This parametric array loudspeaker (PAL) concentrates ultrasonic waves into a focused beam using a piezoelectric transducer and two types of metamaterials.
The acoustic metasurface at the front acts like a lens, while elastic meta-units at the back minimize unwanted vibrations. MiPAL has been tested with both speech and music across a frequency range of 500Hz to 10kHz, and could potentially be used in airplanes, trains, desks, museums, and exhibitions. Despite being a promising technology, the current prototype does not yet match the sound output of conventional speakers.
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