Floating Concept: Levitating Superconducting Speakers

An innovative new way to experience sound.

University of Brighton, UK design student James Coleman has created an interesting new way to enjoy sound. Designed for use as freestanding loudspeakers such as TV or computer use, Coleman's Levitating Superconducting Speakers utilize superconducting and electromagnetic properties to create a stylish floating speaker design.The speakers work by utilizing a superconducting element that is housed inside a transducer which is then suspended in a superdiamagnetic field using the integrated electromagnet. The device is capable of changing the strength of the electromagnetic field, causing the transducer to oscillate and transmit sound directly into the air.Coleman has created two different designs for his speakers, the first is the one with a blue and green base with silver transducers. This design features two separate units that provide stereo sound and a touchscreen interface that allows the user to control volume, bass and treble. The second design is a black and gold colored single unit that separates into two sections to provide stereo sound.As futuristic as these speakers may seem, the technology to create them actually already exists, but there are a couple of downsides that could mean we won't be seeing these kinds of speakers too soon. The first is that the superconducting material mentioned in this product doesn't operate at room temperature and is probably too expensive for consumer production. The second problem is that the design's wireless power may not be efficient enough to power the device. Despite these setbacks, we might not be too surprised to see these in the next few years, considering the rate at which technology is advancing these days.