Image Credit: Purdue University
A group of researchers at Purdue University led by Prof. Babak Ziaie developed a vibrating cantilever that is excited by an external bass source from 200-500 Hz. The excitation causes the cantilever to vibrate, generating electricity and storing a charge in a capacitor.
Although playing tones within a certain frequency range would be ideal, the group concentrated on the use of music as an excitation source. According to the researchers, “a plain tone is a very annoying sound. We thought it would be novel and also more aesthetically pleasing to use music.” Continue reading