Austrian micro-speaker company USound is accelerating the evolution of its next MEMS micro-speaker generation, boosting the battery life of wireless earbuds and other wearable devices up to 12 hours. The company’s current MEMS micro speaker offers more than 50% extended battery life for wireless earbuds compared to systems with electro-dynamic speakers. The soon available next generation will integrate an energy recovery audio amplifier. Allegedly, it will remarkably cutback the power consumption of the device allowing up to 12 hours of battery life for applications like true wireless earbuds and other wearable devices.
Besides decreasing the audio system’s power consumption, the components reduced size grants diminishing the diameter and weight of the housing of any wearable, potentially gaining in comfort and ergonomics for the end consumer. According to its maker, because of its design straightforwardness, its production can be fully automatized, cutting costs down in manufacturing.
USound MEMS silicon microspeakers technology is based on a membrane mounted on several cantilevers built from lead zirconate titanate (PZT). When voltage is applied to this material, the crystals in the PZT expand or shrink making the membrane vibrate which leads to the generation of sound waves. With this approach, less heat is produced as well as less sound distortions due to fewer moving parts, creating an overall more robust system when compared conventional speaker systems. Furthermore, USound’s products are described as the first fully integrated smart speakers with additional functions such as voice fingerprint, inherent microphone functionality, and ADCs.
USound’s micro audio systems, including its energy recovery audio amplifier, will be available for selected customers by Q3 2019. For more infobits, visit USound.