Dubbed fleXpeaker, the device is made by layering metal electrodes that receive audio signals and a prepolarized diaphragm onto a paper structure. “The project is the result of joint collaboration among many ITRI research units,” according to Chan Yi-ren, general director of the institute’s Electronic & Optoelectronic Research Laboratories.
“The Material and Chemical Research Laboratories began by experimenting with different materials about five years ago, and the EOL started to work on the concept in 2006,” the senior scientist explained.
“The fleXpeaker stemmed from the EOL’s flexible electronics research project that focused on developing flexible materials, including components and parts, for use in notebook computers and various portable devices,” said Chen Ming-daw, research director of the EOL’s Advanced Electronics and Design Center. The project is supported by the Department of Industrial Technology under the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Chen explained that with consumer electronics becoming ever more lightweight and compact, the next goal is to make them flexible so as to increase end users’ level of comfort and allow for more innovative applications. Flexibility is also an important consideration in terms of ergonomics, he added.
“For the past 20 years, we have seen tremendous progress in the visual aspect of human-machine interaction with flat panel displays. The fleXpeaker represents our efforts in another important aspect of the interfaces,” the researcher pointed out.
The EOL unveiled the first prototype of a flat metal loudspeaker in 2006. Then there was a plastic version before Chen came up with the innovative idea of a paper loudspeaker. “We were trying to make an ultra-thin and flexible loudspeaker, and paper looked like a natural choice,” Chen said. The device made its debut in an international conference on flexible electronics and displays organized by ITRI in Taipei in December 2007, and immediately caught the attention of the media and the business sector.
After two years of continuous improvement in its sound effect and design, the fleXpeaker, standing out from nearly 500 entries including such technological heavyweights as Hewlett-Packard Co. and Motorola Inc., won the 2009 “Wall Street Journal” Technology Innovation Award in the consumer electronics category. Previously, the ITRI also received the Red Dot Best Design Award—an internationally acclaimed industrial design award—for its Portable Broadcast system, an innovative application developed from the flexible speaker.
While there are other competitors developing ultra-thin loudspeakers, the ITRI’s version is fundamentally different and produces much better sound quality, Chen pointed out.
For starters, the fleXpeaker can be manufactured in rolls through a process similar to printing. “Because of this special approach, the device can be mass-produced at lower costs, and then liberally applied and customized into any size and any shape,” the researcher said. The product consumes only one tenth of the power required by traditional loudspeakers. For portable applications where power consumption is a key consideration, the 1-mm thick speaker is an ideal solution, he noted, stressing that the paper-structure is highly eco-friendly as well.
With its effective sound frequency ranging from around 200Hz to 20KHz, the technology is particularly suitable for expressing sophisticated changes in medium and high frequency gamut. Chen admitted that there is still room for improvement in the low frequency range, which remains one of the top priorities of his research team. “But the device is not meant to completely replace traditional speakers,” he pointed out. “We have identified several promising applications, and continue to brainstorm for more potential uses.”
For example, other than currently being employed in car stereo systems, the device can be used in handsets and flat panel TVs, or as earphones and public speakers. The product can also be integrated into e-readers, clothing, interior decorations, memory cards and buildings. Another possible application is to incorporate the speaker into posters in movie theaters. The ITRI will employ the fleXpeaker in an expo plaza at the 2010 Taipei International Flora Expo, Chen said.
Other than improving the device’s performance in the low frequency range, another challenge lies in finding better ways to manufacture the product. “Since the flexible speaker is a brand new product, manufacturing equipment is not fully ready yet, and certain key components are still controlled by foreign suppliers,” EOL General Director Chan pointed out. The research team is working with suppliers to develop the necessary equipment, and is also collaborating with a university laboratory on the island to produce the required components. “We expect to start a pilot run by the end of the year,” he said.
While many firms have shown great interest in the product, most still hesitate in taking the initiative to integrate the device into their product designs, as manufacturing costs are still their top concern. “The potential of the new device is enormous, but it takes time and effort to persuade them to think outside the box and fully embrace the idea,” Chen pointed out.
The research institute is seeking to license the technology or create a new company to commercialize the invention, which is now protected by 45 patents worldwide. Other than the paper version, the ITRI is also working on a bendable transparent speaker of plastic material, which is expected to make its debut in 2010, Chen said.
Write to Meg Chang at meg.chang@mail.gio.gov.tw