Amazon Alexa offers numerous services on Alexa-Built-In devices including ‘Alexa-to-Alexa calls’ to other users for qualified devices. This service is available for many products, including mobile and household devices and cars. These products and devices work in individual acoustic situations, making it challenging for manufacturers to meet Amazon’s requirements and ensure optimal performance.
Therefore, Amazon has established the Alexa Communications Audio Requirements (ACAR, current version at the time of writing being 2.1.3 June 2021) to optimize the user experience when performing an Alexa-to-Alexa call. These specify instrumental and auditory tests for various situations different types of devices must pass to qualify for Alexa-to-Alexa calls.
A comprehensive test implementation for all device types as specified in Alexa ACAR is key to success for developers. The HEAD acoustics ACAR implementation and complementary HEAD acoustics test suites - e.g., ACQUA and labCORE with the software extension module coreIP-Alexa, which serves as a reference gateway for voice quality measurements of Alexa Built-In Devices - let them leverage the best-performing devices for all use cases and scenarios. With fast and convenient testing, comparison, and experimental optimization, the HEAD acoustics ACAR implementation ensures that devices implementing Alexa-to-Alexa calls meet all requirements laid out by Amazon and perform at their best; always, anywhere, and no matter the circumstances.
HEAD acoustics ACAR implementation includes a comprehensive test suite, precise and standard-conformant implementation that covers all specified devices, and includes all simulation technologies. The testing suite uses advanced HATS technology and speeds up the development process, allowing manufacturers to achieve reliable and meaningful quality testing results.
Since August 2022, HEAD acoustics is officially approved as Amazon Authorized Test Lab (ATL) for Alexa Built-in Devices in North America. This requires extensive validation of a lab’s skills and test facilities to essentially match the high quality standards set by Amazon.
As an ATL, HEAD acoustics is able to help developers and manufacturers bring products to market, with the advantage of not only having a fully certified test lab, but also having consultants on staff with extensive experience of introducing any device with a speech and/or audio interface to the market. This knowledge allows HEAD acoustics to troubleshoot and resolve any issues and continue certifying products in one efficient, streamlined process. HEAD acoustics Inc. Engineering Services USA continues to work with Amazon on multiple end solutions for software and product development.
HEAD acoustics' range of services covers sound engineering for technical products, investigation of environmental noise, speech quality engineering, consulting, training, and support. The medium-sized company from Herzogenrath near Aachen has subsidiaries in China, France, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, the UK, the USA, and numerous sales partners worldwide.
www.head-acoustics.com
