Light actuated speaker: high efficiency conversion from light energy to acoustic sound energy

Ryo Hamamura; Hideki Okamura

doi:10.1117/12.754333

10 October 2007 Light actuated speaker: high efficiency conversion from light energy to acoustic sound energy

Ryo Hamamura, Hideki Okamura

Proceedings Volume 6715, Optomechatronic Actuators and Manipulation III; 671508 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.754333
Event: International Symposium on Optomechatronic Technologies, 2007, Lausanne, Switzerland

Abstract

As one category of light-driven actuators, we propose a light-actuated device which outputs sound. To verify the feasibility of the concept of the light-actuated speaker, we performed experiments using a scheme where the light energy is first converted into an electrical current which then drives the connected speaker. The method seems rather indirect, but given the efficiency of the solar cell, which can reach around 25% with the use of an appropriate wavelength, and with the adoption of impedance matching between the solar cell and the speaker, a high overall conversion efficiency is expected. With its realization, it would be possible to create a sound system that is wireless and can be controlled remotely without the need of a power supply which will provide advantages over the conventional electronic transmission such as wireless operation with no external power source, and precise control of listening area compared to radio transmission. Possible applications include a sound guidance system for the visually impaired.

Citation Download Citation

Ryo Hamamura and Hideki Okamura "Light actuated speaker: high efficiency conversion from light energy to acoustic sound energy", Proc. SPIE 6715, Optomechatronic Actuators and Manipulation III, 671508 (10 October 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.754333

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