Conversion of sound signal to electrical signal

AI Thread Summary
Converting sound signals to electrical signals for practical applications like lighting is highly inefficient due to the low energy density of sound. Most speakers operate at less than 0.5% efficiency, making it impractical to generate significant electrical power from sound alone. Capturing sound energy to power devices like light bulbs would require an enormous amount of sound energy, far beyond typical levels. A more feasible approach is to use a condenser microphone to capture sound and then amplify the signal using an external power source. Exploring alternative project ideas may be advisable to avoid investing time in an unviable concept.
indian_tiger
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Hello guys.
I was thinking of making a project in which i convert sound signal to electrical signal which can be put to use for proper electrical work like lighting a light bulb. Can anyone help me on this issue. Like if it is already in practice and feasiblity of such project and how can i go about it.:smile: :smile: :smile:
 
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Very infeasible, sound energy density is very low unless painfully loud. So where do you get the energy source and how do you get close to it because otherwise it propagates in spherical waves and dissapates extremely quickly.

Also, the transducers, the speakers, are incredibly inefficient. A large majority of the speakers are less than .5% efficient. If the conversion from acoustical to mechanical to electrical remained the same in reverse, to light an LED you'd need like enough energy that could light a thousand or even a million LEDs if you captured the energy otherwise (like capture the heat and convert it to steam and then spin a turbine et cetera).

If you simply want to capture the sound to a low-level electrical signal and then amplify it from another electrical power source, you could just take a simple condenser microphone and build/purchase a suitable amplifier that could then drive the light bulb.
 
I remember my prof talking about how if everyone in New York screamed or yelled as loud as they possibly could and you could somehow contain this energy you would barely be able to light up a lightbulb.
 
looks like i am on a wrong track. Maybe i have to go for some other topic or try something else in this regard. Guys if you know something else about it please let me know, so that i don't waste much of my time on doing a project which ultimately yields nothing.
 
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