Sound visualization based on mechanoluminescent diaphragms

This preliminary study presents a sound wave visualization method using mechanoluminescent composite diaphragms made of mechanoluminescence particles (SAO). To visualize the acoustic wave, the concept of Cymatics is used to make the sound waves and vibrations observable (the human sense of vision), as it is the most discriminating human sense. The goal of this study is eventually to extract the frequency information from images captured by compact image sensors without fast Fourier transform (FFT) whereas most previous studies on sound visualization focus on a technique used to enhance the understanding of acoustical behaviors, such as reflection, diffraction, and interference. In this study, highly pressure-sensitive mechanoluminescent diaphragms will be fabricated and used to produce the images in response to audible sound excitation such as speech. This initial study will offer the potential application for new means of speech recognition principle because a systematic visual perception of the isolated speech words can be achieved using the proposed sound visualization method.