Can you imagine that an interactive paper ad can produce recorded sounds when users touch it, but researchers from Mid Sweden University have proved it! This archetype display is mounted with conductive inks, which are sensitive to pressure and printed speakers. This new innovation has helped researchers to forecast that this technology could be used by advertisers and in the near future it can also be used for product packaging.
According to the researchers this prototype can be used for marketing holiday destinations and according to Mikael Gulliksson, who led the research project:
When you approach the billboard and put your hand on a postcard that shows a picture of a beach, you can hear a very brief description of that beach.
This interactive paper billboard is a layer of digital paper, implanted with electronics and it is printed with conductive inks, which, when applied with pressure, transmit information to a micro-computer that enclose recorded audio files.Printed speakers then stream-out sounds formed from more layers of conductive inks that sits over an empty cavity to form a diaphragm, whereas the functional layer is squeezed between a thick sheet of extra-strong cardboard and sheet of paper that is printed with the billboard’s design.
Dr Gulliksson further asserted:
This pilot project could be used for stands in shops and in other marketing displays and now our next idea is to look at how we could use this in product packaging
This remarkable innovation can be used on cigarette packaging because now, instead of writing warning message of danger to your health, now via this paper manufacturers can have a spoken message.
Currently, the displays are costly to produce but the researchers are working to find some other ways to lower the costs to make boards easier to change and replace in future. To downsize the technology is also included in team’s aim.
Via: BBC
