Scientists at John Hopkins have reportedly created a new material that someday might be able to transmit sounds through something as thin as wallpaper.
In addition to leading to some kick-ass home entertainment rooms, the technology might have some other practical applications as well. Recently, I finished reading the book, Get There Early, and in it the author discussed how Chip Davis (the founder of the musical group Mannheim Steamroller) is now developing a prototype hospital room of the future whereby digital color displays in the ceiling will be synchronized with the music. Perhaps, soon, the digital display and the music will simply merge into one as a result of this technology. (BTW, Davis’ hypothesis is that natural lighting and sounds can speed the healing process.) If the wallpaper speaker technology doesn’t come to fruition, though, we can at least take some comfort knowing that Sony is now making speakers as small as a golf ball.
