SonicEdge MEMS Ultrasound Speaker-In-Chip: Next Gen MEMS for TWS Earbuds and Hearing Aids

Mike Klasco writes all about the cutting-edge SonicEdge MEMS Ultrasound Speaker-In-Chip. A next-gen MEMS solution for TWS earbuds, hearing aids, and hearables. Entering production in 2023, this unique ultrasonic shutter MEMS-based speaker system represents a decade's work in a unique topology. The core of the design is one or more apertures driven by the ultrasonic carrier signal and one or more movable and over-sized obstruction elements that are configured to modulate the ultrasonic carrier signal (think of a shutter) thereby generating audio.

Multiple perspectives to inspire you in the new year. A Market Update on Bone Conduction Transducers, an article on the development of the Taction Transporter haptic transducer, and a valuable article by Hans W. Gierlich explaining an effective approach for testing structure-borne sound applied to in-ear developments. Andrew Bellavia writes about why the FDA’s OTC hearing aid rule could be quickly obsolete, Adam Levenson introduces the new Audio Foundry automotive audio development platform, and René Christensen makes its debut with audioXpress, writing about simulation techniques

At the end of July 2020, audioXpress ran a product release on Vesper's VM3011 intelligent digital micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) microphone. Its claim to fame is a power saving architecture that enables battery standby life that otherwise would be unattainable without the "smarts." There are another half-dozen developers working on integrating all sorts of capabilities within the MEMS mic package. This article, originally published in The Audio Voice newsletter, discusses those developments.

The April 2020 edition of audioXpress is now available and features two essential Market Updates, one focusing on the industry transition to active headphone and earphone designs, and another on how to leverage the latest voice capture and processing technologies. The issue also explains how to evaluate listening effort, and Stuart Yaniger puts the Linear Audio Autoranger Mk II Interface to the test, while Ed Simon writes about AC Power Rectification. Another issue to read and use as reference.

The race is on! Following previous simultaneous efforts to create the market’s first true wireless earphones (meaning no connecting wire and internal battery), Erato Audio Technology has launched a campaign on Kickstarter to promote awareness for the Apollo 7, which the company says are the industry’s first micro driver, true-wireless, waterproof earphones. Erato introduced the Apollo 7 at the MWC 2016 show in Barcelona and are actually ready to ship soon.