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Soundbug
Technical Details

Magnetostriction:
The Technology Behind Soundbug
For the Soundbug to work, it must be suctioned onto a flat, smooth surface. Then, revolutionary technology takes over to produce sound. Soundbug uses magnetostriction or magnetoelasticity, licensed exclusively for use in consumer products from Olympia and Wave, and a rare material called Terfenol-D, originally developed by the U.S. military for underwater sonar applications. Terfenol-D is a combination of iron and rare earth metals grown into crystals and harvested in only two places worldwide--China and Iowa.

Unlike traditional speakers that rely on a metal coil and a speaker cone moving rapidly like a piston to vibrate the air in front of the speaker to create sound waves, each Soundbug includes a sliver of magnetostrictive material – Terfenol-D. When activated by a magnetic field, the Terfenol-D expands and contracts at very high frequency and with dramatic force. Soundbug’s unique actuator harnesses this force and transfers it to the surface to which Soundbug is attached, creating vibrations and effectively turning that surface into a sounding board.

“The Soundbug is just the first of many revolutionary audio products we plan to introduce under the Olympia brand name this year,” said Bruce Garfield, president of Wave Industries, Ltd. “Initially, Soundbug was developed as a portable alternative to headphones or speakers. We’re finding that people may be interested in the device for use with a laptop and then find themselves using it with a range of devices they already own, such as portable CD players.”

Soundbug Technical Specifications

	Volume	75 dbm (peak)
	Battery Life	4 hour continuous play
	Frequency Response	8000 Hz
	Input Impedance	2.7K ohms
	Interface Input	3.5mm stereo jack
	Output	3.5mm stereo socket
	Power Consumption	3 AAA alkaline batteries
	Cable Length	6 feet
	Weight	8 ounces/180g including batteries
	Dimensions	4.1in x 1.9in x 1.5in 105 mm x 50mm x 40mm)
	Manufacturer Warranty: 1 year

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