Development of gel-based panel loudspeakers

Loudspeaker research has been carried out for many years and some of the latest developments involve a panel to produce the sound. Using panels to produce sound offers many possible advantages – for example, it is possible to create sound using a window or a house wall. However, to make these new sound devices feasible, it is necessary to investigate further the exact frequency response of these drivers, how they compare with traditional technologies and how efficient they are. This research has been focussed on the optimisation of gel-type panel drivers and their performance under different conditions. Gel-based drivers have their structure based on soft rubber type materials (gel), and that same gel transfers the vibrations from the driver to the panel. In addition, this thesis covers the development of design tools necessary to predict and improve the gel-based drivers performance. Consequently, a Finite Element Analysis package was employed to enable the simulation of the gel-based drivers. Laser Doppler vibrometer measurements to validate the process were also carried out. Other factors investigated included gel hardness, driver position on the panel, panel material and overall frequency response compared to conventional loudspeaker technology.