Audience demonstrates industry-first voice processor based on human hearing system at CTIA Wireless 2008
Processor enables people to hear and be heard everywhere from their cell phones, even in the noisiest places
CTIA WIRELESS 2008 – LAS VEGAS – April 1, 2008 - In its U.S. debut, Audience is demonstrating the industry’s first voice processor based on the intelligence of the human hearing system at CTIA Wireless 2008, booth # 4020, located in Hall N4/N3. The processor enables instantaneous noise suppression of 25 dB for both stationary and non-stationary noise to provide unparalleled voice quality, even in the noisiest environments
The Audience Voice Processor, which is currently in production, is the first custom IC that is modeled after the most efficient and accurate auditory system, the human hearing system. By thoroughly understanding the entire auditory pathway – from the cochlea to the brainstem to the thalamus and cortex – Audience is the first company to deliver a commercial product based on the science of Auditory Scene Analysis (ASA), or the grouping and processing of complex mixtures of sound. Because the Audience Voice Processor handles signals the way people actually perceive specific sounds, it is able to identify and suppress noise sources in an extremely efficient and accurate manner.
“With the Audience Voice Processor embedded in their mobile handsets, people will be able to hear and be heard everywhere from their cell phones, even in the noisiest places,” said Jennifer Stagnaro, Audience VP of Marketing. “By mimicking the human auditory system, our new processor defines a new standard for robust noise suppression, enabling unprecedented voice quality and more usability of rich voice and data applications.”
Audience’s Voice Processor receives a complex mixture of sound at overlapping frequencies, and organizes it into individual sources, in the same way people actually hear sounds. Regardless of whether the noise is local to the caller or remote over the mobile network, the processor uses several grouping cues to group all sound sources instantaneously, suppressing the noise and delivering the voice of interest clearly.
Pricing and Availability
Designed and priced to fit into mid- and high-tier phones, the Audience Voice Processor is sampling now. Sample pricing ranges from $5 - $7. The processor can be purchased through Audience directly, or through the company’s international representatives and distributors. Volume pricing will vary with quantity and selection of voice features. Handset manufacturers will announce products with the Audience Voice Processor shipping in the first half of 2008.
About Audience
Audience is a voice processor company that enables clear communications anywhere with noise suppression technology based on the intelligence of the human hearing system. The technology is applicable across a broad range of consumer products where voice needs to be intelligible in noisy environments, and its first commercial product is for the mobile handset market. Audience was selected as the Most Innovative True Mobile Start-Up for the “2008 GSMA Mobile Innovation Global Awards.” The company is one of 34 founding member companies of the Open Handset Alliance and the only one with advanced noise suppression technology. Investors in Audience include Vulcan Capital, NEA, Tallwood Venture Capital and VentureTech Alliance. Audience, www.audience.com, is based in Mountain View, California.