The problem
Loudspeakers are used in billions of devices worldwide including
smartphones, laptops, tablets and smart speakers. For
nearly 100 years, the dominant technology to reproduce sound has been the
dynamic loudspeaker. One of the main mechanisms it uses is the voice
coil transducer, a very simple device that also has significant drawbacks in
terms of electrics, mechanics and acoustics.
The solution
Dominika Behounik is Co-Founder
and Chief Technical Officer of Arya Audio Labs. The
company was formed with Arthur Marker to develop audio products. One of these
was the AirBlade transducer. Instead of trying to
incrementally improve a 100-year old imperfect design, it approached the problem
from a different, disruptive angle.
Rather than using a heavy
diaphragm with separate voice coil, the AirBlade transducer incorporates
ultralight ring-shaped foil elements arranged in layers with conductive
traces of aluminium bonded to it. When an electrical signal is applied,
opposite layers of the diaphragm either move towards or away from each other
depending on the direction of the current, thereby moving air and creating
sound.
By distributing the diaphragm
area over several layers and implementing a curved shape, AirBlade avoids the
typical beaming problem of traditional drivers while achieving higher power
handling, reduced distortion and better air coupling due to its large diaphragm
surface area. The transducer’s radiation pattern can also
be tailored to specific requirements of the application it is driving.
Arya Audio Labs has manufactured in-house
since its inception. It uses advanced prototyping tools including 3D printing, 5
axis CNC machines and state-of-the-art measurement facilities. The company started
shipping the AirBlade directly to customers at the beginning of 2020 and it
proved a very popular seller. It is now looking for ways to improve and speed
up the processes to help deliver highest quality products.
The audio market has been on the rise for the
past couple of years, with an abundance of streaming services available as well
as vinyl records experiencing a come-back. The company’s technology has been especially
well received at the high end of the market and in the automotive audio sectors,
two markets that are worth over £1 billion a year alone.
Dominika says of the Enterprise Fellowship: “I
come from an academic background, where it’s natural to focus your efforts on
developing technology and forget that you are actually trying to run a
business! The Fellowship has given me an excellent opportunity to shift that
mindset, and strike a good balance between the two.”
Traction
2018
– Arya Audio Labs debuts at High End Munich as a Newcomer
2018 – First product, RevOpod,
starts shipping
2019 – RevOpod receives Best of 2018 award by Mono and Stereo
2019 – AirBlade loudspeaker
starts shipping to original equipment manufacturing partners
2020 – AirBlade loudspeaker becomes
available for end customers
Visit their website: www.arya-audio.com