Posters aren't simply meant to be read anymore. First QR codes took us one step further, giving our mobile devices a link to extra content on the web, and now a new technology is set to bring music right to the words before our eyes. A prototype called the "Listening Post," demoed at this year's SXSW in Austin, Texas, is a guide to local bands--with the ability to sample their music built right into the poster's ink.
Developed by British research firm Novalia in cooperation with scientists and musicians, the Listening Post incorporates mini-circuit boards equipped with speakers and a small amount of memory into conductive ink, letting those who interact with the poster activate song clips when they touch the appropriate spot on the paper.
Because the cost of paper and printing is relatively low, Listening Post-style posters, postcards and stickers could someday be the norm, though according to BBC News this process may take a few years. Still, advertising that addresses more than one of the five senses is a future we'd like to believe in (especially if the embedded music is halfway decent).
via BBC News
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