A material developed at Iowa State University for navy sonar equipment is now available to ordinary Americans. Terfenol-D was developed at I-S-U and is now commercially distributed by an Ames company called Etrema products. Etrema spokesman Jon Snodgrass explains the Terfenol-d changes shape when a magnetic field is applied, allow electrical energy to be converted into mechanical motion. A new device called the “Soundbug” uses the mechanical motion created by the Terfenol-d to create sound without a traditional speaker.He says the signal that would normally go to your headphones goes to the Soundbug and the Terfenol turns that signal into motion to create sound. Snodgrass says the device is very versatile.You can plug soundbug into any portable device such as a radio or cd player.Snodgrass says more products are ahead.Snodgrass says the Soundbug can be found in most retail stores for 29-dollars and 99-cents.
