Coil audio system have been round for many years, and regardless of enhancements, stay restricted of their capability to breed excessive decision audio. xMEMS Labs, which developed silicon micro audio system for listening to aids and ear buds leveraging its solid-state MEMS know-how, is looking for to vary audio speaker limitations with an all solid-state MEMS speaker.
xMEMs’ new Cypress MEMS speaker replaces push-air sound copy with the corporate’s ultrasonic amplitude modulation transduction know-how. Ultrasonic modulation turns ultrasonic air pulses into wealthy, detailed, bass-heavy, high-fidelity sound, which the corporate says does away with the compromises of moving-coil know-how. xMEMs’will roll out the know-how in a bunch of high-volume client energetic noise canceling (ANC) earbud micro audio system, based on Mike Housholder, Vice President, Advertising and marketing & Enterprise Improvement for xMEMS, in a current interview with Design Information.
The audio system, measuring a tiny 6.3 x 6.5 x 1.65 mm, sound 40x louder in low frequencies in comparison with xMEMS’ prior era audio system, offering stronger, deeper bass that’s in keeping with one of the best 10-12mm legacy coil audio system, together with sound stress ranges (SPL) higher than 140dB as little as 20 Hz*.
Antiquated Coil Know-how
Housholder famous within the interview that current coil know-how, whereas confirmed and straightforward to supply, is labor-intensive to fabricate and achieves poor part-to-part consistency. Different disadvantages embody sluggish transient response, inaccurate copy, EMI susceptibility, and reliability.
Sound from ultrasound has lengthy been researched, however has by no means achieved the acoustic efficiency required for broad industrial attraction. In growing the Cypress speaker, xMEMS succeeded in growing a full-range MEMS driver that achieves 143 dB SPL at 20 Hz, with thermal harmonic distortion of below 0.5%. Cypress contains a modulator to generate an amplitude-modulated ultrasonic wave (service) that faithfully follows the amplitude of the supposed audio sign; and a demodulator to synchronously demodulate the ultrasonic wave, transferring the acoustic vitality all the way down to the baseband, producing the supposed audible sound consequently.
The sound envelope of ultrasonic pulses is a precise acoustic copy of the supply sign, that means throughout all frequencies, Cypress is extra devoted to the unique recording than present speaker applied sciences. Due to its superior decision within the time area, Cypress can extra precisely reproduce right this moment’s superior sound codecs, together with high-resolution and spatial audio.
Cypress’ sooner electrical-to-acoustic conversion can contribute to wider ANC bandwidth. As well as, Cypress’ near-constant electrical-to-acoustic conversion time (group delay), can scale back DSP filter complexity which, in flip, results in shorter DSP latency, rounding errors, and energy consumption when processing ANC.
The MEMS-based ultrasound audio know-how from xMEMS has been lauded by sound producers, together with Brian Lucey, a mastering engineer for eight Grammy Award winners. He discusses the know-how within the video beneath.
Leveraging MEMS Know-how
The brand new audio system leverage xMEMS production-proven thin-film piezoeelectric MEMS know-how that’s used for its micro speaker merchandise utilized in closed-fit earbuds and listening to aids. These embody the corporate’s Montara and extra just lately Montara Plus, Cowell, and Skyline DynamicVent. The audio system present improved mechanical response for larger element, readability, and separation; near-zero phase-shift for extra correct sound copy; and superior part-to-part section consistency for prime spatial imaging accuracy. The audio system’ inflexible silicon diaphragms eradicate speaker breakup for mid-treble readability, and MEMS know-how reduces the audio system’ weight whereas lowering electromagnetic interference.
In line with xMEMS’ Mike Housholder, a number of corporations will incorporate the Cypress speaker of their audio micro speaker merchandise in coming months. The aim is to finally incorporate the know-how in consumer-grade, mass market speaker merchandise.
Full-function Cypress prototype silicon is now sampling to pick early prospects. Manufacturing-samples of Cypress and its companion Alta controller/amplifier ASIC will pattern beginning subsequent June, with mass manufacturing by the top of subsequent yr.
