MP3 player

We tend to specialise in low powered devices, low powered in the sense that they require little electrical power. We designed our own MP3 player with the specific requirements that it require little power to operate, so we could run from a small solar panel and we wanted it to be physically small, so we could hide it away inside interesting hardware.

The MP3 player has a specification that you would expect :

Remote control is a term that covers virtually any external hardware. For optical techniques, we have used infra-red detectors, infra-red beams, laser beams, and proximity sensors. Mechanically, we have used pressure switches, panel mounted buttons, lever operated switches - anything that closes a switch. Electronically, we have used movement sensors. Basically, all we need is two states, on and off, to be able to start the MP3 track playing.

Battery power
We need a MP3 player able to be powered from a small solar panel. This can then be mounted outdoors in some suitable housing and then be able to provide sound in outdoor locations. With a stainless steel button and a small speaker, the unit is entirely self-contained. There is no need to supply power to the unit. The sound level is sufficient if the user is reasonably close to the speaker.

Telephone
The unit is designed to be small, so we can mount it within other equipment. An example of this is the above vintage telephone. It is such an instinctive thing to use; pick up the earpiece and listen. We mounted the MP3 player in the base and used the switch mounted in the handset lever to start the MP3 track playing, using the speaker inside the earpiece to provide the sound. These telephones were dotted around the exhibition. There were instructions on how to use them but visitors still understood what they were for. The commentary on each telephone was specific to the area where the telephone was located.

This principle is easily extended to other devices that contain a speaker and require only a switch to start.