Although the earbuds nowadays may seem quite small, they are limited in form and function because they require the use of membranes and magnets to work. A new miniature speaker prototype abandons these limitations and has the potential to provide more use for in-ear headphones.
German startup Arioso Systems, spun off from the well-known Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems, today developed a flat, square, chip-form nano electrostatic drive (NED) micro speaker. It measures just 10 to 20 square millimeters and is made entirely of silicon.
Inside the micro speaker is a tiny array of flexible beams, each measuring just 20 microns in length. When the voltage of the audio signal is applied to the device, it causes these beams to bend toward each other repeatedly. When they do, they force air to flow out of small openings at the top and bottom of the device. The pumped air creates pressure fluctuations in the ear and is perceived as sound.
Not only is the NED micro speaker much smaller than the traditional model, but since it has no external moving parts, it should use less battery power. With traditional production techniques, it should also be cheaper and easier to manufacture.
In addition, by freeing up space inside the earbuds and reducing the power required to produce sound, the technology allows new features to be loaded into the earbuds. These features may include instant language translation, health monitoring capabilities, or the ability to pay for purchases using voice commands.
NED technology can also be integrated into smaller, better-performing hearing aids.