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Akustica Announces Three New MEMS Microphones for Smartphones
[February 23, 2017]

Akustica Announces Three New MEMS Microphones for Smartphones


Today, Akustica is launching three new analog-output microphones designed to improve the accuracy of the ever-growing number of speech recognition applications in smartphones and wearable devices. With the introduction of the BMU563R, BMU551R, and BMU537R, Akustica is once again demonstrating how the close collaboration of a complete in-house design team leads to the high levels of innovation required to deliver exceptional products that meet or exceed customer requirements.

The new microphones are housed in mechanically and electrically robust top- (BMU551R) and bottom-port (BMU563R and BMU537R) metal-lid packages. In combination with next-generation MEMS sensor design, the metal-lid packages enable the microphones to withstand the many mechanical stresses, such as rough handling or dropping, that occur during manufacturing and end-use. The Faraday cage package construction with gold-plated lids and enhanced filtering provides additional radiated radio frequency (RF) rejection in wireless frequency bands. The added RF immunity reduces the burden of external filtering components and decreases the number of necessary board redesign and testing re-certifications, thereby shortening time-to-market and reducing development as well as overall system costs. The microphones can also withstand more than twice the IEC (News - Alert) specification for electrostatic discharge (ESD), improving both manufacturing and end-user reliability.

The BMU563R and BMU551R deliver excellent electro-acoustic performance, featuring a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 66dB while also providing a uniform sensitivity (+/-1dB) and a flat frequency response. Combined with an ultra-low total-harmonic-distortion (THD) of less than 1 percent up to 118dB SPL, these microphones improve the performance of noise cancelling algorithms, especially in far-field applications. Additionally, the BMU551R draws only 60µA in full performance mode, less than half the power consumption of comparable high-performance microphones, helping to extend battery life. With industry standard footprints of 3.50 x 2.65mm2, these new microphones are ideal for upgrading the RF immunity, robustness, and performance of existing designs.

In its industry standard 3.35 x 2.50mm2 form factor, the BMU537R also delivers an excellent 66dB SNR and a high degree of robustness. Additionally, the differential output of the BMU537R enables other performance benefits such as a high 130dB acoustic overload point (AOP), with THD remaining less than 1 percent to 124dB SPL. When a microphone 'hears' a sound whose level exceeds its AOP, it no longer provides a clear audio stream to the next component in the system. Therefore, not only is a high AOP microphone desirable for high-quality recordings in lou settings such as rock concerts, but it also enables the audio processor to continue performing optimal noise suppression even in windy or other loud environments. The differential output of the BMU537R also minimizes audio signal corruption from electronic crosstalk and electromagnetic interference from nearby components.



"The way we interact with mobile devices continues to develop. Keyboards and typing first shifted to more intuitive touch screens, and now the human-machine interface is shifting toward the most natural method of all, which is speech," said Horst Muenzel, CEO and General Manager, Akustica. "For every speech-enabled application, voice-input quality starts with the microphone. With our in-house expertise in all parts of the microphone design, Akustica is uniquely positioned to continue delivering the innovative and increasingly high-performance microphones that make up the front end of our customers' voice-controlled devices."

The BMU563R and BMU551R are available in production quantities while the BMU537R is currently sampling to lead customers. For samples and customer pricing information, please visit www.akustica.com/contact.asp to find a local sales representative.


Akustica is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Bosch Group and a top supplier of silicon microphone products that are improving voice-input quality in a host of voice-enabled applications, from mobile phones, laptops and tablets to small wearable accessories like headsets. The company offers worldwide customer support services, from design-in services to post-production quality assurance. Akustica is a global organization with corporate headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA, regional offices in Taiwan and Shanghai, and a worldwide team of distributors. For more information about Akustica, go to: www.akustica.com.

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 390,000 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2016). According to preliminary figures, the company generated sales of 73.1 billion euros ($80.9 billion) in 2016. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. As a leading IoT company, Bosch offers innovative solutions for smart homes, smart cities, connected mobility, and connected industry. It uses its expertise in sensor technology, software, and services, as well as its own IoT cloud, to offer its customers connected, cross-domain solutions from a single source. The Bosch Group's strategic objective is to create solutions for a connected life, and to improve quality of life worldwide with products and services that are innovative and spark enthusiasm. In short, Bosch creates technology that is "Invented for life." The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 450 subsidiaries and regional companies in some 60 countries. Including sales and service partners, Bosch's global manufacturing, engineering, and sales network covers nearly every country in the world. The basis for the company's future growth is its innovative strength. At 120 locations across the globe, Bosch employs 59,000 associates in research and development.

Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com, www.iot.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com, www.twitter.com/BoschPresse.

Exchange rate: 1 EUR = $1.1069


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