Ampfly Sound Amplifier by Richard Prudence & Philip Kunovski |
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| DESIGN DETAILS | |||||
| DESIGN NAME: Ampfly PRIMARY FUNCTION: Sound Amplifier INSPIRATION: The concept was conceived during our time as students. Smartphones and their advanced technology had become a part of everyday life, but their inferior speakers called for improvement. Passive acoustic amplification with no need for electronics or batteries was the most sustainable solution for increasing a phone's volume output. The initial prototypes we designed and introduced to friends already made a huge impact, so we decided to make it our challenge to create the best design possible. UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Ampfly is a specially designed phone case that amplifies the sound output of smartphones. It boosts the volume by up to three times and improves the sound quality significantly. Using no electronics to function, it does not drain the phone's battery. The case is slim and practical, yet protective and attractive. It can be left on the phone and used for its sound-enhancing functions whenever needed. Combining design and functionality, the case makes every-day life easier in a sustainable way. OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: The case is very easy to use. Simply click it onto your phone and enjoy the volume boosted by up to three times. Bass tones are amplified immediately and treble tones stand out louder and clearer than before. You will notice a huge difference when playing music on social occasions or watching videos with friends, especially in a crowded space with background noises. We want to make sure that our design improves people's phone experience without extra hassle or power requirements. PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: The project was started in June 2012 in Reading, UK by two university students. Exploring the market opportunity continued until January 2013. After that, the product was designed for manufacture and the design algorithm was developed and refined. In May 2015, initial production began and the case for iPhone 5 was launched. This was followed by the product launch for iPhone 6 in August 2015. Other phone models are currently being developed and will launch throughout 2015/16. |
PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: We chose to design a passive amplifier that we could build right into a mobile phone case. It is made of solid ABS plastic and is formed of three separate parts which clip together tightly. For the internals we designed an algorithm that would compute the optimum acoustic geometry in order to deliver the best sound amplification with minimal distortion. This works based on perceptual acoustic theory, examining the ways in which humans perceive bass tones through higher order harmonic resonance. SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: Dimensions (based on iPhone 5 model): 65 mm x 18 mm x 133 mm. Made from high-grade injection ABS moulded plastic. Our specially designed internal horn is encapsulated within the case. From the outside, only a stylised speaker grill is visible to the user. TAGS: sound, passive, amplify, amplifier, acoustic, case, phone, music RESEARCH ABSTRACT: Acoustic horn design and optimisation was explored in order to accurately deliver acoustic amplification. We also applied principles within human audio perception to create the best amplification geometry possible inside the limited space available. We created our design through computer simulations and were able to boost the output sound power of the phone without the need for large acoustic horns as is the norm. These results were verified using audio spectral analysers and human participants. CHALLENGE: The challenge was how to fit an effective acoustic amplifier into a small enough space that would keep the design portable and practical for the user without adding unnecessary bulk. This took some thought-out application of acoustic theory; eventually, a method was composed to successfully amplify lower bass tones without the need for large acoustic horns. The size and shape of the case was specifically designed to ensure that the device was as slim and easy to handle as possible. ADDED DATE: 2015-07-01 12:20:26 TEAM MEMBERS (2) : Richard Prudence and Philip Kunovski IMAGE CREDITS: Otherway, branding and PR team, 2015. PATENTS/COPYRIGHTS: Patent Pending. No. 1221447.4 Entangle Ltd. 2012. UK Trademark 'Ampfly' belongs to Entangle Ltd. Copyrights belong to Entangle Ltd. 2015 |
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| Visit the following page to learn more: http://ampflysound.com/ | |||||
| CLIENT/STUDIO/BRAND DETAILS | |
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NAME: Ampfly PROFILE: The idea was born in 2012 when two engineering students felt dissatisfied with the poor quality of smartphone speakers. They challenged themselves to improve mobile technology and came up with the idea of a passive audio amplifier built into a phone case. The goal was to amplify the volume, enrich the sound and function mechanically without using the phone’s battery – something that would make a difference to everyday life in a sustainable way. Presenting the first prototypes to their peers, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, so the aspiring engineers started to explore the business potential of their idea. After having graduated from university, they founded their own company and dedicated their time and effort to the project. In a long process of testing and improving they came up with the optimised end product. At the same time, they were facing the business world: networking, negotiating, and experiencing all highs and lows of start-up life. Meanwhile, they had started their PhD programs. In 2014, the postgraduates teamed up with Launched PMD, a company helping start-ups launch their products. Soon after, music channel MTV’s interest in the case led to a collaboration with Ampfly and helped the establishment of the brand. After years of balancing academia, work and business, seeing their invention hitting the shelves and gaining popularity in social media is a true reward for Ampfly’s creators – and an inspiration for others to turn innovative ideas into reality. |
| AWARD DETAILS | |
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Ampfly Sound Amplifier by Richard Prudence & Philip Kunovski is Winner in Idea and Conceptual Design Category, 2015 - 2016.· Press Members: Login or Register to request an exclusive interview with Richard Prudence & Philip Kunovski. · Click here to register inorder to view the profile and other works by Richard Prudence & Philip Kunovski. |
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