Our task was to transform miniature wireless speakers into ‘alarm-clock’ speakers that could be installed in a venue ahead of time, and programmed to activate at a specific moment.

The challenge lay in avoiding visible cabling, making battery-powered wireless speakers essential. Limited site access meant the speakers needed to be pre-installed and capable of autonomously ‘waking up’ to connect to a wireless sound source at the right time. We developed a custom device using an Arduino Nano, which was integrated directly into the speaker. To accommodate this, we designed and 3D-printed a housing that added just 6mm to the speaker’s overall height, preserving its original design. We also overcame the additional challenge of suppressing the start-up tone to ensure it wouldn’t disrupt the audience experience.