Scientists at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, and Beijing Normal University, have developed a cheap, flat loudspeaker that could give conventional speakers a run for their money. Unlike standard loudspeakers that generate sound by vibrations in the surrounding air molecules, the nanotube speaker doesn´t emit vibrations. The nanotube speaker works as a thermo acoustic device; when an alternating current passes through the sheet, the sheet experiences rapid temperature fluctuations, which after some scientific occurrences produce sound. There are several interesting applications for the nanotube speakers.

Since the nanotube sheets can be stretched to be visually transparent and still produce sound, they might be fitted over the front of an LCD screen to replace conventional speakers. Another possibility is incorporating the nanotube speakers into textiles to create musical clothes.

Via