An apparatus includes a test circuit to receive signals from a piezoelectric horn and a control circuit to determine whether to operate the apparatus in a silent test mode or a normal mode. The apparatus includes a control circuit to, based on a determination to operate in the normal mode, enable a driver circuit to drive the piezoelectric horn so as to output sound when activated by the driver circuit. The test circuit is to, based on a determination to operate in the silent test mode, cause the piezoelectric horn to generate a piezoelectric response, wherein the piezoelectric horn is silent while generating the piezoelectric response during the silent test mode, and cause evaluation of whether or not the piezoelectric horn is working correctly based upon the received signals from the piezoelectric horn.

An apparatus includes a test circuit to receive signals from a piezoelectric horn and a control circuit to determine whether to operate the apparatus in a silent test mode or a normal mode. The apparatus includes a control circuit to, based on a determination to operate in the normal mode, enable a driver circuit to drive the piezoelectric horn so as to output sound when activated by the driver circuit. The test circuit is to, based on a determination to operate in the silent test mode, cause the piezoelectric horn to generate a piezoelectric response, wherein the piezoelectric horn is silent while generating the piezoelectric response during the silent test mode, and cause evaluation of whether or not the piezoelectric horn is working correctly based upon the received signals from the piezoelectric horn.

An ultrasonic dry coupled wheel probe with radial transducers emit ultrasound in substantially all radial directions relative to a longitudinal axis. The probe does not require normalization and is efficient in directing ultrasound to a surface being inspected. The probe has a wheel composed of rubber or other materials for acoustically dry coupling the transducer to the surface. A first transducer is composed of a piezoelectric material so that the transducer receives an electrical signal, vibrates, and generates and transmits sound, such as ultrasound. Similarly, a second transducer receives sound such as ultrasound, vibrates, and generates a corresponding electrical signal. The transducer arrangement both transmits ultrasound to the surface and receives the reflection of the ultrasound from the surface. An acoustic barrier separates the transmitting component from the receiving component. The transducer has annular electroplates adjacent to the piezoelectric material. The two transducers can comprise a single, integrated transducer module.

The piezoelectric effect is a well-known phenomenon inherent in some crystal compounds. Silicon dioxide in nature forms a natural hexagonal crystal. The same material when heated to a molten state and then rapidly cooled becomes common glass with no piezoelectric effect. The phenomenon is an electrical or electron relationship to the crystal in that when the modulus is changed the state of electrical charge also changes and in two modalities. If you apply an electrical charge the crystal will change shape and if you change the shape the crystal it will cause an electrical charge.

The device being presented is part of a larger thesis of the phenomenon in that it is presenting mechanical interactivity from low to ultrahigh frequencies. It was also discovered that the reactance of the crystal can be produced under magnetic pressure such that stacking crystals between strong magnets called unit/cells and connecting them in a series/parallel wired conductive arrangement can produce an amplification such that all frequencies of electrical activity in the environment are amplified and produce a rectifiable current flow of electrons.

Envisioned are many possible embodiments of this device. One such embodiment is the application of a coupled toroidal coil that enhances the signals in the environment and magnetically couples the signal into the device.

This device has been prototyped and functions as described. The output characteristics beyond what has been described are not disclosed and are considered proprietary information.

The piezoelectric effect is a well-known phenomenon inherent in some crystal compounds. Silicon dioxide in nature forms a natural hexagonal crystal. The same material when heated to a molten state and then rapidly cooled becomes common glass with no piezoelectric effect. The phenomenon is an electrical or electron relationship to the crystal in that when the modulus is changed the state of electrical charge also changes and in two modalities. If you apply an electrical charge the crystal will change shape and if you change the shape the crystal it will cause an electrical charge.

The device being presented is part of a larger thesis of the phenomenon in that it is presenting mechanical interactivity from low to ultrahigh frequencies. It was also discovered that the reactance of the crystal can be produced under magnetic pressure such that stacking crystals between strong magnets called unit/cells and connecting them in a series/parallel wired conductive arrangement can produce an amplification such that all frequencies of electrical activity in the environment are amplified and produce a rectifiable current flow of electrons.

Envisioned are many possible embodiments of this device. One such embodiment is the application of a coupled toroidal coil that enhances the signals in the environment and magnetically couples the signal into the device.

This device has been prototyped and functions as described. The output characteristics beyond what has been described are not disclosed and are considered proprietary information.

An ultra-wide bandwidth acoustic transducer may include multiple layers, including an inner piezoelectric layer, a polymer coupling layer and an outer piezoelectric layer. The polymer layer may be located between, and may be bonded to, the inner and outer piezoelectric layers. The transducer may have multiple eigenfrequencies of vibration. These eigenfrequencies may include primary resonant frequencies of the inner and outer piezoelectric layers respectively and may also include resonant frequencies that arise due to coupling between the layers. An acoustic backscatter system may employ such a transducer in backscatter nodes as well as in a transmitter. The multiple eigenfrequencies may enable the system to perform spread-spectrum communication at a high throughput. These multiple eigenfrequencies may also enable each backscatter node to shift frequency of an uplink signal, which in turn may enable the system to mitigate self-interference and to decode concurrent signals from multiple backscatter nodes.

An ultra-wide bandwidth acoustic transducer may include multiple layers, including an inner piezoelectric layer, a polymer coupling layer and an outer piezoelectric layer. The polymer layer may be located between, and may be bonded to, the inner and outer piezoelectric layers. The transducer may have multiple eigenfrequencies of vibration. These eigenfrequencies may include primary resonant frequencies of the inner and outer piezoelectric layers respectively and may also include resonant frequencies that arise due to coupling between the layers. An acoustic backscatter system may employ such a transducer in backscatter nodes as well as in a transmitter. The multiple eigenfrequencies may enable the system to perform spread-spectrum communication at a high throughput. These multiple eigenfrequencies may also enable each backscatter node to shift frequency of an uplink signal, which in turn may enable the system to mitigate self-interference and to decode concurrent signals from multiple backscatter nodes.

A panel-type speaker includes a panel and an actuator and is configured to vibrate the panel by the actuator so as to output sound waves from the panel, the actuator includes: a vibrating plate; and a piezoelectric element arranged on at least one surface of the vibrating plate, the piezoelectric element has, at a central portion of the piezoelectric element in a plan view, an opening from which the vibrating plate is exposed, and at a portion of the vibrating plate exposed from the opening, the vibrating plate is coupled to the panel.

A panel-type speaker includes a panel and an actuator and is configured to vibrate the panel by the actuator so as to output sound waves from the panel, the actuator includes: a vibrating plate; and a piezoelectric element arranged on at least one surface of the vibrating plate, the piezoelectric element has, at a central portion of the piezoelectric element in a plan view, an opening from which the vibrating plate is exposed, and at a portion of the vibrating plate exposed from the opening, the vibrating plate is coupled to the panel.

An apparatus includes at least one vibration-generating actuator having a coupler configured to be in mechanical communication with a fixture, at least one mass spaced from the coupler, and at least one non-planar piezoelectric element in mechanical communication with the coupler and the at least one mass. The at least one non-planar piezoelectric element is configured to oscillate the at least one mass relative to the coupler in response to received electric voltage signals. The fixture and the at least one actuator can be configured to be implanted on or within a recipient's body, and the fixture can be configured to transmit the vibrations to the recipient's body such that the vibrations evoke a hearing precept by the recipient.