#ferroelectret

Credit: G.L. Kohuth. The flexible ferroelectret nanogenerator can be embedded into a flag or other fabric.

It is a self-powered thin patch loudspeaker or microphone for flexible electronics.

1. Nanotechnology researchers at Michigan State University, USA, have discovered that a paper-thin ferroelectret nanogenerator (FENG) they developed in 2016 can convert vibrations from sound or mechanical energy into electrical energy, and vice versa.

2. The FENG incorporates a silicon wafer and thin sheets of silver, polyamide and polypropylene ferroelectret, with ions added to each layer.

3. The device generates energy when compressed by human movement.

4. To demonstrate its use as a microphone, the team developed a FENG security patch, accessing a computer using voice recognition. To show its function as a loudspeaker, they implanted the FENG fabric into a flag and played music through it.

5. Potential applications include lightweight loudspeakers, voice-activated newspapers, noise-cancelling sheeting and voice-activated security patches.

To read the paper in full visit, go.nature.com/2qF7Lwy

Credit: Michigan State University

Researchers at Michigan State University have created an audio product that could be the key to manufacturing a foldable loudspeaker, a voice-activated security patch for computers or a talking newspaper. 

A FENG, or ferroelectret nanogenerator, is a material that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. The team discovered that the same properties could also be used to create a microphone or loudspeaker. They demonstrated this by turning a MSU Spartans team flag into a loudspeaker.

Credit: Michigan State University