MEMS and Other Leading-Edge Devices for Wearables - 2021 Update

In this article for Voice Coil, Mike Klasco (Menlo Scientific) recaps MEMS Drivers and related hot technologies for 2021, providing an update about products and companies that stood out in 2020. The article, which summarizes the more extensive reports published by audioXpress in January 2020 and 2021, looks at the impact of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) for audio and discusses the implications for other game-changing technologies that reduce size, increase performance, extend battery life, and enhance features and functionality in headphones, wearables and compact speakers.

Sonion, the manufacturer of components and solutions for hearing aids and in-ear headphones, announced that it is now a member of the Qualcomm Extension Program and will offer the Sonion Voice Pick Up Bone Sensor on the Qualcomm Ultra-Low Power QCC5100 Bluetooth SoC series in Q1 2020. The combination will allow other audio manufacturers to implement reliable voice quality and voice recognition applications that are not hindered by surrounding noise.

“Never will your earphones cause you pain, or fall out of your ears again,” pitches HelloEar, promoting its ergonomically designed Arc earphones. HelloEar used its experience on the custom IEM market for musicians to build an extensive database of inner-ear shapes and sizes. The result is now being applied in the new Arc earphones, now campaigning on Kickstarter, and featuring technology from Danish balanced armature experts, Sonion.