UC Berkeley develops first graphene-based headphones

March 22, 2013 02:01 PM EST By: Jennifer Rocha

The graphene earphone is a groundbreaking development for sound technology.

Story content courtesy of The Daily Californian, University of California Berkeley, US

UC Berkeley professor of physics Alex Zettl, also the Director of the UC Berkeley Center of Integrated Nanomechanical System, is working with postdoctoral researcher Qin Zhou to develop the graphene earphone.  When researchers compared the sound quality of Sennheiser headphones and the graphene earphones, the latter headset was comparable to its top-of-the-line commercial cousins, according to their findings.  Use of a graphene diaphragm, notes Dr. Zettl, eliminates the need for dampers, which are used to depress sound frequencies so that they do not damage the diaphragm. Graphene is tougher than the normal paper and plastic diaphragms used currently and is just as good at conducting sound.  UC Berkeley owns the patents to the technology.

 

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