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Interest in New Audio Technology Surpasses Expectations

The technology works like this: the DDrive and XDrive components -- coupled with an amplifier and power supply -- combine high force, broad bandwidth and power handling capabilities into a very compact package. The components can be used to turn walls, floors, ceilings, windows, furniture and other hard surfaces into speakers. Each unit is only half the size of a coffee cup and weighs just one-and-a-half pounds.

"This is the most significant advancement in speaker technology in nearly 75 years -- our DDrive and XDrive offer audio opportunities unavailable from conventional box speakers on the market today," says Steve Saint-Vincent, president of S3I. "With our technology, you can create a surround sound system without the intrusion of speaker boxes. We didn't just think outside the box, we've thrown the whole box away."

Saint-Vincent says the team at S3I developed the DDrive and XDrive concept at its Ames research center in early 2002. The first components were produced in January, 2003, which is when S3I began marketing the DDrive and XDrive technology at trade shows and symposiums. Saint-Vincent says there has been particular interest from the spa and hot tub industry, residential and commercial contractors and landscape designers.

"Most folks are surprised you can turn a hot tub or patio deck into a speaker," he says. "We're hearing from customers each week about new applications for the product."

Saint-Vincent says S3I knew it had created innovative technology -- but had no idea it would attract so much attention this quickly. To keep up with the surge in demand, S3I has hired Porter & Associates of West Des Moines to coordinate marketing efforts and develop sales materials.

The secret of the DDrive and XDrive technology is a unique innovation utilizing the high performance, magnetostrictive material called TERFENOL-D®. Developed by the U.S. Navy in the 1970s, TERFENOL-D is a near single crystal metal alloy which converts electrical power to mechanical power, and vice versa. The Navy developed TERFENOL-D for higher power sonar that would also have greater bandwidth and greater reliability. TERFENOL-D is said to be a Smart Material because of its ability to adapt to outside influences.

TERFENOL-D is produced by ETREMA Products of Ames, a sister company for S3I. ETREMA is the world's leading supplier of TERFENOL-D. Both ETREMA Products and S3I are part of the Edge Technologies group of companies.