Cadence Tensilica HiFi 5 DSPs Power NXP's Next-Gen Audio DSP Family

Cadence's Tensilica HiFi 5 Digital Signal Processors (DSPs) are a key component in NXP Semiconductors' latest SAF9xxx family of automotive audio DSPs, enabling advanced audio capabilities for next-generation software-defined vehicles. According to Cadence, this development is a significant achievement for the automotive industry, addressing the growing need for sophisticated audio processing to support traditional DSP tasks, artificial intelligence, and machine learning (AI/ML) applications.

Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation (AKM) has unveiled the new AK7018 and AK7017, pin-compatible audio DSPs featuring dual and single HiFi 4 CPUs, respectively. The two new products in the company's automotive audio DSP line are both compatible with DSP Concepts' Audio Weaver, joining the existing AKM AK7709VQ Multi Core DSP with SRC. AKM will present these new products at CES 2024 where it plans to showcase its latest advancements in mobility solutions, including a demo car with an immersive audio experience.

Knowles Corporation announced the IA8201, the latest product in its Knowles AISonic family of audio edge processors. The IA8201 offers robust voice activation and multi-microphone audio processing optimized for power-sensitive applications, and is the first processor specifically designed for advanced audio and machine learning applications, enhancing power-efficient intelligence and privacy at the network’s edge. This processor has the compute power to perform advanced audio output, context awareness and gesture control for today’s most advanced consumer electronics.

Voice processing has become one of the indispensable technologies on smart home and wearable devices. Precise and prompt voice command recognition, along with minimizing power consumption are key for these applications. Small array microphone and voice acoustic processing technology specialists, Fortemedia introduced its new iM501 voice processor, embedding a high-end Tensilica HiFi Mini DSP core, and providing a best-in-class solution for always-on voice detection with low power consumption.

Cadence Design Systems and Waves Audio announced the availability of the Waves Nx Virtual Reality Audio Technology on the Cadence Tensilica HiFi 3 DSP for Audio, Voice, and Speech. The Waves Nx solution, which delivers high-quality VR audio and true 5.1 or 7.1 surround with a minimal resource footprint, will be demonstrated at the Cadence booth at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, February 27 to March 2, 2017, in Hall 6, Stand 6L36.

Cadence Design Systems announced immediate availability of the next-generation MPEG-H Audio decoder based on Cadence Tensilica HiFi DSPs. MPEG-H Audio is a future broadcast standard and is expected to be one of the key audio technologies adopted worldwide for new TVs. Through close collaboration with Fraunhofer, one of the developers of the open ISO MPEG-H Audio standard, Cadence is first to market with an implementation for a licensable DSP.