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 startup tone to ensure it wouldn’t disrupt the audience experience.