You know those cardboard trays you’re given at McDonald’s when you order multiple drinks? Most people throw them in the garbage after they are done, but not Canadians.
In Toronto, an unlikely partnership between the University of Waterloo’s Audio Research Group, industry design company Stacklab and the famous restaurant chain is turning cardboard drink trays into portable speakers for smartphones which operate without electrical wiring.
These speakers dubbed McDonald’s Boomboxes amplify the sound coming out of a smartphone’s speakers (Android and iOS devices are compatible) by boosting sound pressure levels via the cardboard’s own speaker enclosure. The Boombox can reach a decibel level of 70.4 dB.
A special slot has also been included in the speaker to keep the smartphone in place, while still giving users access to the display.
If it sounds too good to be true, it’s not. McDonald’s is actually giving these Boomboxes for free. They will be available at Toronto’s Woodbine Beach on July 28, but note that “limited quantities” will be available, so not everyone will be able to get one.
Hopefully, if the project proves to be a success, McDonald’s will consider commissioning more of these smartphone amplifiers. Or even install a few in some of its restaurants.
