By: Victoria Wong

Jinchi Han, an electrical engineer, just created a soundproof wallpaper that can also be used as a speaker. This can help when there is a lot of commotion around you, such as noisy siblings, construction, or even just a simple storm. This can cancel noise and play music to help lower stress or make things livelier in your room.

Most of your current speakers use membranes, but this new one doesn’t. In replacement of the membranes it uses dome-like microstructures. When you squeeze the material to create an electric charge, this is called piezoelectric. That makes the domes expand creating waves to make sound.

Of course noise canceling systems are already a thing, but Jinchi decided to go above and beyond. Thinking about cars, airplanes, apartments, or anywhere you want it to be! Each dome in the wallpaper is a miniature speaker.

The small domes can produce sound solo or as a group as well. Jinchi says that “These speakers also could dampen — or cancel — unwanted sound. When desired, you could turn any space into a quiet zone where you could sleep or study without too much noise.”

Article: https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1658689300174x204366177352528480/You%20might%20someday%20%E2%80%98wallpaper%E2%80%99%20your%20bedroom%20with%20this%20loudspeaker%20_%20Science%20News%20Explores.pdf