Where innovations are born

Prof Dr Arved Carl Hübler

You can see that Chemnitz is a city on the move when you are on the grounds of the Technical University. But you only realise that something really big is happening behind the walls when you look inside. In April 2015, a sensation was presented at the World Press Photo exhibition in Amsterdam: Employees of Chemnitz University of Technology developed an illustrated book from whose pages sounds can be heard. This sensation was created by Chemnitz minds. The leading member of the team is Prof Dr Arved Carl Hübler from the Institute of Print and Media Technology at TU Chemnitz and our Maker of the Week!

Your development of the T-book - the "T" stands for sound - has met with enormous interest. Did you expect this?
Prof Dr Arved C. Hübler: It's always difficult to say whether you expected it. But I did hope that this book would meet with public interest.

What is so fascinating about your development?
It's a different approach to looking at electronics and electronic media. Many people have the traditional book and paper in their minds as a positively charged topic and I think the fact that the field of application is evolving is exciting and a new experience for many.

How did the idea of designing a T-book come about?
Three years ago, we introduced the printed loudspeaker and were then naturally confronted with the question of what applications there are for such a loudspeaker, what applications there are for these printed products. Many things came up, for example packaging. Wallpaper, which could be a loudspeaker, was mentioned again and again. The book actually came about more as a result of discussions with partners. The leading creative agency from Munich, Serviceplan, had the idea that a book would be something exciting.

The result is an illustrated book that shows a selection of photographs from the Word Press Photo exhibition. With the help of loudspeakers that are almost invisibly integrated into the paper, sounds are provided that support the pictures in their uniqueness. Prof. Dr Hübler's team worked on the realisation with high-quality craftsmanship. The important thing here is how to combine the printed electronics with the conventional technology inside the cover of the book.

The sound of the book comes directly from the paper, how does that work?
To make paper sound, you need a material that generates vibrations. In this case, the sheet of paper is a membrane that vibrates. To make the paper vibrate, piezoelectric materials are used that expand and contract under tension and thus stimulate the vibrations. We have formulated these as colours, which are then printed onto the paper. To make the whole thing disappear, we split the paper into two parts, printed the necessary layers in between and then glued the whole thing together. The end result is a sheet with the speaker printed in the centre.

How many copies of this T-book are there and how much does one cost?
Well, now it's a high-priced small edition. There are eight copies at the moment and another 50 are to be produced. I can't say a price. In any case, it's high-quality handicraft and there are no plans for the book to be available for regular sale.

Are there already plans to produce other books in this form?
The book makes it clear that this is a new medium. The combination of image and sound is an advantage for the user. Not only does it create an "aha" effect, but people can really take a lasting interest in it. Especially in combination with the very expressive and high-quality images. There are no concrete plans with specific new projects yet. Now that you can see, feel and hear the book, there are still discussions about projects.

Is it possible to mass produce T-books?
That must be the goal! It's not possible today, but there's no reason why it shouldn't be in a year's time. Of course, it will be more time-consuming and more difficult than a classic book. That's logical. But it also has to become a mass product in the end. The interest from publishers is definitely there. In order to bring about further innovations in the future, there are already considerations as to how the circuitry can also be printed so that a T-book can become even flatter in the future. This would also make a paper tablet conceivable in the future.

Why is Chemnitz, of all places, a place where innovations are born?
Chemnitz has a long tradition of printing here at the university. The university's speciality in Karl-Marx-Stadt was printing machines. We have been able to preserve this tradition and transform it into the modern age time and again. And this is still possible in this form in Germany in Darmstadt, but otherwise only in Chemnitz. Especially in the early days, it was sometimes unclear what the future would look like. There were even thoughts of closing the printing processes department at Chemnitz University of Technology. However, there has always been an openness to new ideas in Chemnitz and thus also the opportunity to further develop the tradition. This is also an opportunity to step out of the shadow of Dresden, for example. The city should seek out even more opportunities that are different and far removed from the mainstream.

You've been here in Chemnitz since 1997 and helped set up the Institute for Print and Media Technology. In your opinion, how has the city developed over the last 20 years or so?
The city has developed very quickly, I can see that again and again. When I return to West German cities, I notice that everything has remained the same as it was 20 years ago. A lot has developed here, which is fascinating. The city has made the best of the marginal conditions, some of which were not entirely good, and now you have to attract young people here. That's the main issue. For the university too, of course. We are working on being more and more open to foreign students here. And I think that has also been reflected in the cityscape in recent years and it is a good development for the city.

One member of Prof Hübler's team didn't have to come to Chemnitz because she was already here. Maxi Bellmann, a research assistant at the institute and a member of the T-book project, has always lived in Chemnitz. She decided to stay in the city because of the exciting degree programmes on offer at the TU. The content at the TU also appealed to her during her studies, which is why she has not left the city: "I think those who like it will stay here. The difficult thing is, of course, that the more who leave, the more will follow. But I think Chemnitz is a beautiful city. It's a good place to live, there's everything here."

Do you have to encourage the people of Chemnitz?
It's quite normal for people to leave. It happens in other cities too. I left Berlin, for example, even though Berlin is a beautiful city. There's nothing wrong with leaving Chemnitz. The important thing is that you are attractive enough for people to come.